The Ties That Bind
by Smiles4Voltron
Summary: Lance fell hard at Garrison, unable to stop himself from adoring his rival. Then Kerberos went missing and Keith changed. Keith left him. Through time, Lance got over his broken heart, swearing to never get hurt like that again. So how come he is falling for the same tricks when Keith and him get chosen to save the Universe together through Voltron! KeithXLance. Rating may change
1. He took my pen

**QUICK NOTE:**

The first few chapters will be a few months before Kerberos, so everyone can see Keith and Lance get together!

* * *

Lance wanted to reach the stars- that was the reason he joined Garrison.

To fly where no one had flown before, just him and his crew. The very idea of said adventure made him bounce with excitement as a child. None of his family was really shocked when he proudly presented his enrollment papers.

The day he left his Mother held him close and cried, pride burning behind those tears, "You are going to rattle the stars." it was a promise to the very universe itself, "Just…" she choked back a sob, "Remember to write, alright?"

"I promise, Mama." With one last hug, which was swiftly joined by the twelve others relatives that had come to see him off, Lance got on the first bus to the rest of his life.

It didn't take him long after he got there to realize a lot of people weren't a big fan of him- he was used to that. As his Mother always insisted, they just didn't understand Lance's special charm.

It wasn't like he was mean or anything, but he couldn't deny he sometimes came off a little strong. Whenever he was in the moment he just… talked without thinking about the consequences- or how what he is saying might be considered stupid or conceited.

It was easier with his family because he could be himself without worry. Knowing that the person you are talking with will accept you no matter what you say makes it easier to say the right thing.

For now, Lance tried to just talk to anyone he could and make some sort of bond- at this point anyone would do, really. It's been two months since he's arrived and he was getting sick of sitting at the lunch tables alone.

The girls gave him the cold shoulder, and most guys thought he was incompetent, so this wasn't really working. At some point, he gave up and just tried to focus on his studies. It was very hard.

Don't get him wrong, the piloting classes and going over the controls and different maneuvers were the best classes Lance had ever been too! When the class ended he couldn't ever wait for the next one to begin!

The problem was the engineering or math classes. He wasn't dumb, but he was a genius at this stuff like these other kids were.

The stress of these classes loomed over his head daily, whispering threats of him failing and being kicked out of Garrison.

Despite this, Lance somehow managed to pass them one by one, sometimes barely to Garrison's standards. He was doing it though; the only true test would be his piloting skills. His teachers didn't call him a naturally gifted flier, but they never said he was instantly horrible either.

So… plus?

Halfway through the year, Lance had gotten into a set schedule and despite not having any friends yet, he was okay.

It wasn't the best time of his life like he imagined as a child, but he was okay. And when his mother would call him, asking him if it was just as he hoped, he would tell her yes and that he was okay.

He was okay… right?

When the next semester started he was placed into the next level of his training. It was here that he met the guy that would shake his very world.

His name was Keith.

Low and behold, the mighty Keith. The _oh so great_ and _can do anything_ Keith. Lance had to sit next to him for the entire semester.

The name felt heavy against Lance's tongue whenever he tried to say it. _Keith._

Nothing too intimidating, to be sure, but it wasn't his name that caught Lance's attention.

It was his eyes.

A deep blue and gray that pulled any poor soul in if they but stared a little too long.

Fall had just started to settle in on the day they met. Lance had been longingly looking out the window at the thought of leaves falling from the trees at his house when Keith pulled out the chair next to him. Startled by the heavy scrape of the chair's metal's legs to the floor, he turned to face this mullet wearing jerk.

"Hey." Lance had said at the time, blissfully unaware of the train wreck he was stepping into.

Keith barely even glanced at him, "Hey."

"You sitting here now?"

"Yeah, don't get used to it." he had grumbled.

Lance wasn't sure what to say and simply turned the other way.

From then on, all the class could talk about was this sourpuss. He was the top-notch flier, the genius, the cool guy- he never said anything nice to anybody but everyone adored him! It didn't make sense!

The more Lance thought of him, the more he began to stare- or, glare, at him throughout class. Keith's eyes would never once leave the front of the class, completely focused and zoned out from the rest of the world. It was as if Keith soul purpose was to learn and pilot the Garrison's vessels.

In a split second decision, Lance decided he hated Keith- for many reasons. He didn't appreciate how popular he was, was a show-off, a know it all, an emo mullet, and-

Lance hadn't expected Keith to suddenly look at him, but the lock of their eyes was undeniable.

Raising an eyebrow, Keith scowled, "Got a problem?" he muttered.

"Yeah," Lance said, no true bite behind his words, too surprised that they were suddenly talking.

The conversation ended there, and Lance was almost proud with the confused expression he managed to pull out of Keith Kogane when he didn't say anything else.

He had to focus. Unlike Keith, Lance had a lot to prove, and he would not get shown up by someone that has a mullet!

For two months Lance gave everything he could to be better than Keith. He would be a better student and pilot if it killed him! And it did, it really did. The extra studying he had to do to get better grades threw him into the dirt. It was hard- but Keith still managed to win an extra point or two in tests.

Was he even trying?! It pissed him off!

When they finally got to the point when they were allowed into the planes, Lance couldn't wait to show everyone his skills.

Keith still got placed first in class.

Lance had never wanted to punch something so much in his whole life. And the worse part, Keith barely looked like he was happy with that! He just nodded and left when he was told the news! If you don't even enjoy it then why are you here?!

If there was one plus side, it was that Lance was deemed second best in class. That got some eyes on him, but not much. Second place doesn't cut it to first.

So he continued to try, forced to sit next to Keith for the entire semester. It was horrible.

Then, one day, something happened.

In a moment of pure luck, he found Keith's eyes turned away from the teacher, and towards the windows. It was almost bizarre to see him out of focus, but he was.

He was staring- or, looking for something? It almost reminded Lance of himself when he would gaze out those windows to the world past these walls.

When Lance gazed out, he hoped to see his family and home. When Keith looked out, Lance felt as if he was looking for something too.

The only difference is, Lance knew what he wanted to see… Keith didn't. It was if he was searching for something to go to.

It wasn't uncommon knowledge that Keith didn't have parents or a home to go back to, and before it never even crossed Lance's mind- but in that single moment, he felt sad. He wished Keith did have something to look towards.

"Hey." a voice caught his attention.

Straightening when he realized it was Keith, he stammered, "Y-Yeah?"

"Got a pen I can borrow?"

"Oh." Lance scrambled for his bag, handing Keith a blue ball pen. "Here."

"Thanks." Keith ran his eyes over the pen then looked down to his paper. Blinking at him, Lance looked away, biting the inside of his mouth hard enough to make it bleed.

Why did he give him a pen!? He hates the guy!

When the bell rang he just wanted to go back to his room and sleep away this frustrating feeling. Thankfully Keith left before him and he could walk back in peace.

Picking up his backpack, Lance glanced to the door. Keith forgot to give him his pen back.

"That smug little… he took my pen."

 **0000-Keith-0000**

He had taken his pen. He hadn't just forgotten to either- he purposively did it. He wanted it.

He wanted some stupid pen that has some chew marks on the bottom of it. He always caught Lance munching quietly on the bottom of his pen.

He would stare at his teeth as he did so…

Slumping into the chair at his next class, Keith stuffed the Pen into his pocket, holding it tightly throughout the entire hour. Why did he keep it?

Why were the bit marks at the bottom embarrassing him?

Why did Lance in general just make him feel frustrated and nervous enough to never dare speak to him or look him in the eyes?

It was probably that dumb look he always had on his face.

That was probably it. He'll give the pen back tomorrow the next time he sees him.

But he never did.


	2. Summer Kiss

**Me being dumb and not putting in the character tags when I posted this fic cause I'm a dimbo~ Thank you, Guest, for pointing that out.**

 **Note again: First few chapters take place before the Garrison mission to really delve into Keith and Lance's relationship.**

* * *

On one beautiful Wednesday, the Principal of the facility visited their class. He talked of the greatness of Garrison and what each of them would one day accomplish if they worked hard within the program.

It was inspiring… but Lance could only stare at the man's bald head.

From his spot, the light was catching ever so perfectly upon the Principal's cranium that it shined right into Lance's eyes. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, squinting. Moving a little to the right, his shoulder grazed Keith's, who had just leaned to the left. Startled, the two lean away.

It only took a second for them to realize they were both being blinded by the same sheen of baldness.

"It is shining like the sun itself," Lance muttered.

"I'm tempted to pull out my phone and see if it can charge the solar battery."

Lance wasn't expecting the rebuttal and had to cover his mouth to stop the sudden bubble of laughter. "Dude…" he grinned.

Keith smiled back.

It had been the first ounce of a positive response Lance had gotten since he first got here to Garrison, but that didn't matter because that was not nearly as important as the fact that it was the first time Keith had ever smiled at him.

Pride wasn't even close to the word he wanted to use to describe the feeling in his belly, but it would have to do.

After that, sitting next to the school prodigy wasn't that bad. He didn't brush off what Lance would say, and Lance found he could stand Keith's emo attitude a little bit more. They even had a conversation on Llamas at one point.

Not like that was the best thing they could talk about, but they did agree that they couldn't figure out whether a Llama was closer to a sheep or a camel.

Along with his somewhat bonding with Keith, it was around this time when Lance's roommate got caught for stealing equipment from the training rooms and was expelled. Thinking of this as a chance to get a room all to himself, he was sad to learn that with so many new students coming to Garrison on a daily basis, he was instantly assigned a new one.

His name was Hunk.

A big lovable guy that Lance got along with instantly. They got along faster in two minutes than Lance did with anyone on campus from the entire year he was there. And Hunk was smart too.

Couldn't pilot that well, but could definitely help Lance with his studies and in return, Lance taught him a few piloting tricks. From what he told Lance, Hunk wanted to be a mechanic for the ships and new everything there was to know about them!

Plus, they just liked the same things! Movies, candy, hobbies, it was awesome!

"Dude, have you ever heard of a soulmate?" Lance inquired one night after their marathon of Ninja comedies.

"Yeah." Hunk nodded

"Well get this, I'm not trying to be weird here, but I think you are like that to me." Lance explained, "But not like a mate, but like a friend."

"Like a soul friend." Hunk gasped.

"Dude, yes." Lance nodded.

"I thought the same thing!"

"Bro." they high fived

Lance loved Garrison.

They were two peas in a pod after that- if they weren't already that from the beginning. They even managed to get some classes together. Lance hadn't ever been able to walk to class with anyone till now, and the hallways felt totally different because of it!

"You gotta become my mechanic when I become a Fighter pilot." he grinned.

"Yeah- oh, wait." Hunk held up his hands, "Does that involve me going into the skies with you?"

"Well, yeah of course-"

Hunk was already cringing, making a whining noise, "I don't like… heights."  
Lance could hardly believe his ears, "You serious?"

"Completely."  
'How can you want to be a mechanic but be afraid of heights?" he asked incredulously.

Hunk was insistent when he said, "I'm not afraid of heights, I would just prefer to have both my feet on the ground. The ground is nice, the ground is safe."

"Until there is an Earthquake."

"That is why I will live in areas where there is no chance of those occurring." Hunk nodded.

"So then it is a fear."

"Not a fear, a preference."

"That sounds like the same thing." Lance frowned.

"Totally different. My stomach just can't handle being in the air. I will probably throw up. I do that on every rollercoaster."

"Hunk!" Lance laughed, "What are you going to do?"

"I don't know…"

"Hey, maybe you just need to get used to it. Once those simulations start, I'm sure it will only take a few tries to get you over your air sickness."

"You think?"

"Totally, dude. Trust me." they bumped their fists. "Just remember to bring a bag or something with you those first few times."

"Right."

"Hey." a voice grumbled, "You two are taking up the entire hall," Keith said behind them. Turning around to look at him, Lance lifted a hand.

"Hey, Keith."

"Hi."

"Oh! Oh hey, Keith." Lance nudged Hunk, "This is Hunk! He is new! He's going to be a mechanic. He is amazing at it!" Lance explained, feeling awesome that he could brag about his new friend. Hunk seemed flustered at the compliment and chuckled.

"Gee, Lance."

"Oh uh…" Keith held out his hand, "Nice to meet you, Hunk."

'You too." Hunk shook his hand, smiling wide. "Are you going to be a fighter pilot too?"

Keith nodded, "...Yup."

Lance was so giddy he was bouncing, "It's going to be awesome though. We just need a communication officer then baam! Off to the stars!"

"If we get put on the same crew. Don't the higher ups decide who we go with?" Hunk inquired.

"I'm sure we can request it," Lance insisted, "It wouldn't be the fun if you don't like the crew you have. When I see the stars I want to be with friends."

"You really just want to see the stars, huh?" Keith folded his arms.

"Been my dream since I was a kid." Lance grinned, "I love space. I wanna see a shooting star up close!"

"That would be awesome." Hunk agrees.

"...Yeah." Keith nods slowly, a small smile pulling on his lips. "It'd be… super cool."

"...Awkward much?" Lance smirked at him. Keith straightened, giving him an angry pout of a look. Lance was laughing at the sight, unable to stop it. When Keith moved towards him, ready to hit him, Lance bolted the other way. "Run Hunk!"

"Huh? Oh- Ahhh!" Hunk followed after him, desperate to get away from the angry mullet of a man behind them.

"Get back here!"

"What did I do?" Hunk demanded.

"Keith just can't handle being normal!" Lance cackled.

"I don't want to hear that from you, Lance!" Keith bellowed.

Lance really loved Garrison. It was fun to go there now because of Hunk.

Because of Ke….. Oop, no no. Dangerous thought there. Back it up. Keith is not fun. If everyone on the planet were to describe Keith, not a single one would describe him as _fun._

By pure instinct, he felt himself glancing over his shoulder as he ran, staring at Keith. He watched closely as his muscles moved up and down, short legs keeping up with them at an incredible pace simply because of the extensive muscles that were beneath those black skintight jeans.

Then their eyes locked and Lance tripped.

"Lance!"

He landed with a pair of arms wrapped around his shoulder and head, pulling them into a toned chest as they hit the floor, guarding him against smacking his skull directly into the concrete below.

"Lance! Keith! You guys okay?" Hunk huffed, stumbling to a stop.

"I'm fine." Lance pulled away a little, looking up at Keith, whose eyes were wide.

"Watch where you are going, idiot!" Keith snapped.

"Wha- don't call me an idiot!"

"I can if it is fact!" Keith roared, grabbing the sides of his head and forcing it to turn to check for damage, "What if you had gotten a head injury or something?"

"It isn't like I haven't gotten hurt before, Keith." Lance hit his hands away, embarrassed when he realized everyone was looking. "...I'm fine."

Keith didn't seem satisfied with that but nodded. Holding out his hand he helped Lance to his feet, dusting off his shoulders. Then… he hit him in the shoulder.

"OW!" Lance yelped.

"That is for calling me awkward."

"Dude!" Lance slammed his foot on top of Keith's. Yelling, he bounced around on one foot, clutching the other one.

Keith snapped, "That hurt!"

"Good!"

"Uh, guys?" Hunk held out a shaky hand, "Everyone is watching."

"It's his fault!" They both roared.

* * *

 **0000-Lunch-0000**

"How can you not like mustard?" Lance questioned.

"I just don't like mustard," Keith grumbled, grabbing the ketchup for his burger. "I don't understand how you can like mustard."

"Mustard is awesome." Lance says, "La mostaza es buena con todo." (Mustard is good with everything.)

"I don't speak Spanish, Lance." Hunk takes the mustard from him.

"Mustard is good with everything." he says again.

"I didn't know you speak Spanish." Keith is staring at him.

"Fluent in it." Lance grins, "Sure does help when you want to insult someone without them actually knowing you are insulting them."

"Because that is the only reason you should learn a second language, Lance." Keith rolled his eyes.

"You know what I meant… Mójol." he smirked. (Mullet.)

"What did you just say?" Keith pointed his fork at him.

"Mójol."

"What does that mean?"

"You'll never know." Lance was quick to scarf down his food.

"Of course I won't," Keith grumbled. Looking back down at his burger, he glanced up at Lance from time to time when he was sure he wasn't looking. Never once realizing that the other was looking at him just as much.

* * *

 **00000-00000**

It was close to Summer when a knock came at his door in the middle of the night. Never liking when his beauty sleep was disturbed, Lance stormed to the door and threw it open. "What?" he hissed as quietly as his anger would allow.

"Oh uh-" Keith stood on the other side, shifting uncomfortably, "Sorry…. I probably just woke you up, huh?" Keith huffs, sweat slowly falling from his brow as if he had been running.

"Keith?' Lance asked, rubbing his eyes, wondering if this was a dream or not. "What are you doing here?"  
"On the roof…" Keith explains breathlessly, "A meteor shower… you can see it from the roof."  
"Oh?" Lance glances at his window, unable to see anything but the building next to the dorms. He rubbed his arm, feeling a dull sense of a chill. "You run here to tell me that?"

Keith seemed unable to answer for a minute, considering his words carefully, "I went to grab my camera and you just so happened to be on the way."

"Was I?" Lance couldn't recall if Keith's room was even close to his. Maybe it was?

"You said something about liking shooting stars." Keith insists.

Lance perked up, "I do." he nods. There is a small thought in the back of his mind that he wants to ask, but he wasn't sure if it was correct to ask. In the end, he said it anyway, hoping to play it as casual as possible, "Did you want me to come see them with you?"

"I'm not inviting you." Keith folds his arms.

Lance flinches, rage boiling in his stomach, "Then why are you here?" he grouched, quietly glancing over his shoulder at Hunk to make sure he was still asleep.

"I'm just letting you know so if you want to go by yourself you can. Away from me."

"That kind of sounds like you are inviting me."  
"Well, I'm not."

"Well, I don't want to go with you."

"Good." Keith nods

"Peachy." Lance was reaching for his coat. They walked down the hall together, neither saying a word.

Glad that he fell asleep in his shorts instead of just his boxers, he felt Goosebumps run up his legs as they scaled the stairs to the roof. "What were you doing up here?" he questions.

"Training."

This late at night? "Do you really have no other hobbies?"

Keith glanced at him and smirked a little, "Course I do, but it is quiet at this time and no one bugs me with stupid looks or questions like you do."

"What did you say?" Lance lifted his fist threatening.

Keith chuckled and Lance felt his anger depleting with each one. Scratching the back of his head, the opened the door to the roof and stepped out. The ground was cold against his toes, but the stars that met him made it worth it.

"Whoa…"

They sat close to the railing, leaning back on their palms. "Makes you want to fly up there and get a closer look," Keith says.  
"Yeah," Lance glanced at him, "Thanks for _not_ inviting me."

"You're not welcome."

They laughed and Lance felt great about it. Great about _this,_ whatever it was.

"So…" Keith tapped the ground, "Why did you join Garrison?"

"To be a pilot, duh."  
"That's it?"

Lance shrugged, "Well I mean, basically." after a pause he corrected himself, "Okay well I mean, I want to go to space. I want to see the stars, you know? If I so happen to become the greatest pilot in the whole galaxy then that would be awesome too, but mostly the space thing."

Keith snickered a bit, "What a goal."

"Oh? And what is yours, Mr. High and mighty?"

Keith titled his head to the sky, "Basically the same, see the stars." he cut himself off abruptly, which lead Lance to believe there was more to it than just that.

"Dude, come on." he nudged him, "Spill."  
"It's stupid."

"Probably." Lance nodded,

"That doesn't make me feel better."

"I won't laugh." Lance crossed his heart, "...I'll try not to laugh."

Rolling his eyes, Keith seemed a little nervous. Clearing his throat, he forced himself to say, "I was thinking that maybe if I got up there and looked down I'd… see something."

"Like the Earth? You would totally see the Earth from up there."

"Not just that." Keith insists, "I'd see… I dunno, something like a sign? From where I'm from." Lance sat up, mouth closing as Keith talked. "Maybe I'd see the country where I was born and just know that was the one. Or a city… or even my parents." he looked away, "It's stupid."

Lance grabbed his arm, "It's not stupid." The wide look Keith from him felt so open and relieved. "It's never stupid to want to see your family."

"Lance…" those eyes were intoxicating, pulling Lance in with no warning.

Then they leaned forward.

If ever asked, Lance will always say that the first time they kissed had been an accident and nothing more. He will accept nothing more than that.

And when he says accident he means that he wasn't fully aware of what he was doing till the deed was already done.

Pulling back, his hand shooting up to cover his mouth, he could barely breath, "I… That was just- you were-" he stumbled through the embarrassment like his life depended on it, desperate to not ruin whatever it was Keith and him had together.

This was it, he blew it. Everything was going to flush down the toilet at this point! Way to keep it together, Lance!

Ready for the other to explode with rage or confusion, he was taken aback when Keith reached out for the hand that covered Lance's lips and yanked it away. Half a second later they were kissing again. It was longer this time... deeper.

Keith was always one to act on pure impulse. It had Lance's head spinning- so unused to the idea of someone returning his affections and actually coming on to him.

"Hey…" Lance whispered through the kiss, "Hold up-" Keith bit his lower lip. It took all Lance had to pull back, "Waitwait… just hold on a minute." he gasped. "What are we doing?"

Keith blinked, the picture of naive bliss, "Kissing?"

It was at times like this when Lance wondered whether Keith was sharp or dull when it came to common human interactions, "Obviously!"

"So what is the issue?" Keith was leaning forward again

"W-Well, why?" Lance had to curve his back to avoid their lips connecting, his face on fire, "Why are you kissing back? What does this mean about… us?" when his back hit the railing, he huffed heavily; painfully aware of how Keith seemed to loom over him, pinning him down with that intense gaze.

"Us?" Keith was puzzled, but as he sat there, brows slightly furrowed, a tint of red began to spread across his face, "Oh…" he realized, "We are kissing." he pulled back, hands slightly lifted in a pose signaling surrender.

"Yes." Lance nodded vigorously. "Why are you kissing me back?"

Put on the spot, Keith did the only thing he could to avoid his embarrassment and turned the question right back, "W-Well, why did you kiss me in the first place?"

"I asked you first!" Lance argued, refusing to let all of this fall on him.

"You started this!"

"That isn't fair, you are the one to blame!"

Keith threw his arms up, "How so?!"

"Because you- I was just minding my own business till you came along!" Lance insisted.

"I just invited you up to the roof to go watch the meteor shower, you were the one that agreed to come!" Keith jabbed him in the chest.

"You said you didn't invite me!"

"Well- shut up! You came up here anyway!" Keith was grabbing him by the collar of his shirt, as if he intended to punch him.

"You were the one who invited me to a super romantic outing!" Lance mimicked the gesture and twisted himself to roll on top of Keith.

"W-Who said anything about this being romantic?!" Keith demanded, flustered.

"Anyone and everyone!"

"Whatever! So what if it is considered romantic, you were still the one to kiss me first!"

"You were the one to kiss me the second time! The first one could still be chalked up as an accident!"

"That was not an accident and you know it! So blame yourself for only kissing me for 2 seconds. That isn't enough to go off of so I had to get another!" The two rolled against the roof, awkwardly landing on their sides in a pile of entangled limbs.

Lance blushed furiously, "No se limite a decir eso en voz alta!" (Do not just say that out loud!)

"I don't know what you're saying when you speak Spanish! Speak English!

"Stop making this complicated, Keith!" Lance shrieked. The two of them heaved the other to their knees, tugging and pulling on each other that Lance was surprised they didn't end up butting heads.

"You are the one making this complicated!" Keith bellowed, "So shut up and stop thinking so much for once and just go with this because I'm losing my mind, Lance! You make me lose my mind!" grabbing him by the shoulder Keith yanked him forward to kiss him again, only to have their noses collide painfully when Lance panicked and turned his head a little.

Scratch the no butting heads thing.

"DUDE! What was that?!" Lance screamed, clutching his nose.

"Me?! You are the one who rammed your nose into mine!" Keith yelled, his voice muffled from the hands covering his face.

"Then don't just yank and tug on me!"

"What did you say?!" Keith growled, lowering his hands and leaning forward.

'You heard me." Lance did the same, but neither moved. The conversation was abruptly ended and neither knew what to do other than glance down at the other man's lips from time to time but still try to act as if neither of them really wanted this.

But oh… Oh did they want this. Bad.

That's what scared Lance most to admit that.

In the end, neither of them were sure if it was bad or good luck that one of the teachers had been awoken by their screaming and came up to the roof to bust them. They were given detention for two weeks for leaving the dorms without permission after hours and disturbing the peace so late at night.

During this attention, they seemed to be the only two student present for the entire two weeks. It was torture.

They both sat as far away as possible from the other, avoiding each other for days, finding that they ran into the other more when they did this.

The restroom, cafeteria, on their day off- they saw each other during times they never normally would and it was driving them nuts!

"Are you following me?" Keith finally demanded after the 5th day of the nonsense. They had managed to meet up in the Yoga room. Neither of them even took Yoga and the class had ended two hours ago!

"I was about to ask you the same question. You don't do Yoga."

"Neither do you." Keith growls.

"Maybe I do? Awesome Yoga. Maybe I'm the best Yogameister in the whole wide world?" Lance challenged.

"Okay, first of, _Yogameister,_ is not a word. And second, even if it was, you would definitely not be the best at it."

"And you would?"

"I'm better at Yoga than you are."

"You've never seen flexible till you've seen me!" Lance disagreed.

"Yeah well- you…. YOU!" Keith grit his teeth, wanting to just make his problems disappear.

"You too!"

"You three!"

"You four!"

"WHAT ARE WE DOING?!" Keith screamed.

"I don't know! You are the one being weird!" Lance shoved him, just to get shoved back a second later. The two fought against each other for a few minutes, their shoes squeaking against the wooden floor.

Turning and spinning around the room, they feel to their knees, both breathing heavy.

"I don't understand." Keith admits, his grip tightened against Lance's arms, "I don't know what this is."

"It isn't like I have the answer," Lance mumbled.

"I know… but I don't want to let it go, Lance."

He nodded numbly; worried something stupid would come out of his mouth if he tried to speak now.

"Say something." Keith pleaded.

"I...Keith…Man, I don't know what you want me to say."

"Anything…"

He did the only thing he could think of, whispering a single word into Keith's ear, "B-Bésame."

Keith didn't know what that meant, but he had a general idea from the look Lance was giving him. Reaching his hands up to cup his face, Keith pulled Lance closer.

Their third kiss was different from the first two. It was slower, soft and gentle. Neither of them was on edge and could actually enjoy every feeling the other gave them. Lance even built the courage to place his hands on Keith's shoulders and gentle rub them. Keith hummed at the contact.

After a few seconds, they pulled away. "...What does this make us now?' Keith inquired.

"I uh… I'm not sure. Are we dating now?"  
"Are we?"

"Do you want to?" Lance shifted nervously.

Blinking once, then twice, Keith nodded, "Yeah. I do."

"Then we are." mentally fist pumping the air, feeling victory upon his shoulders for this beautiful catch he managed to snatch.

* * *

 **Oh my gosh, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. This is my first fanfic here and I'm super nervous. Thank you all for stopping by. I really appreciate it.**


	3. I love him

What did it mean to go out with someone? What did it mean to go out with Keith Kogane?

Lance didn't fully know, honestly. Most of this was just him winging it and hoping Keith was just as lost as he was to go along with it.

For now he thought he was doing fine. More than fine, actually- it was fantastic.

Lance couldn't go a day without touching Keith in someway. Maybe it was just from being away from his family for so long, or having no friends until Hunk came along, but he was desperate for attention. He wanted everything Keith would give, no matter how small.

And the great thing was- Keith was the same.

Whatever attempt at contact Lance offered, Keith openly accepted it and even offered his own. Their shoulders would brush against the other while walking, their feet with rub against each other while sitting…

During lunch Lance would reach across the table and run his fingers up and down Keith's arm- he seemed very fond of that in particular. He would purposively take off his jacket and set it on the chair during lunch now, giving Lance all the access he needed.

When they were alone, Lance spent the hours playing with Keith's hair. As stupid as the mullet was at times, it was cute and grew on him. Everything about Keith grew on him.

The red jacket that was just a little too short. The black gloves he never wanted to take off except to wash his hands. Lance stole his gloves the first time, promising to return them if Keith let him see his hands.

They were rough with calluses, but smooth on the back of his palm. Was it really possible to be so attracted to one person's hands this much? Lance would answer yes.

And should he even bring up the puppy dog look he would give Lance when they had to go to their separate classes at the end of the day? It was unreal… everything about this.

When did he come to care so much about whether Keith Kogane liked his shirt or not? O-Or what shoes to wear to match Keith's jacket? Not too hard since all they had to be were red, but still.

It was pure adoration and Lance didn't know what to do with it.

He was lucky he had Hunk to turn to for this. He admits to be nervous the first time he told him about Keith, but Hunk was actually happy for him! He knew he was right in calling him his soul friend.

"Do you think he likes cherries?" Lance asked Hunk. Recently Keith and Lance talked a lot- nothing really different from before, but Lance liked to ask him questions about himself.

"Keith?" he guessed.

"Yeah."  
"I dunno, maybe? Just go ask him." Hunk rolled his eyes at his lovesick friend.

"Should I text him?"

"Sure, Lance."

"But I've already texted him a lot today. Am I being clingy?" he put the phone down like it burned, "Crap, I'm being clingy. I'll just go play videogames."

"No, it is fine, just text him. You aren't being clingy." Hunk handed him back the phone. Just then it buzzed.

"He texted me." Lance was shifting his weight between his toes, bouncing slightly.

Hunk sighed, "What did he say?"

"He wants to know if I like the color orange. Hell yeah I like the color orange!" he texted back, "I like all colors."

"Remember the Cherry question."  
'Right right! Thanks, Hunk, what would I do without you?"

"What would you do indeed?" Hunk chuckled. A second later, Lance is screaming about Keith liking Cherries.

Hunk patted his own back, "Time to become the best third wheel you can be buddy." he said to himself.

Lance insisted he would never be a third wheel- but could not deny that he would spend most of his week with Keith.

Keith's very existence was a drug, Lance decided.

Of course, it wasn't all perfect- Lance still felt a strong rivalry to Keith when within class. Keith couldn't really understand this and insisted they were both capable pilots, but understood that Lance wanted to make his mark in school.

They were both just cargo pilots after all, neither of them stood on very impressive ground yet. But Lance knew- it wouldn't take long for the higher ups to really take notice of Keith's skill and bump him up to the next level.

That wouldn't be a problem and Lance would be very proud of his boyfriend- but that would put a serious cut into the time they spent together. It would involve different classes, different days off- Lance didn't want that.

"I gotta make it to Fighter class." he explained to Keith.

Keith nodded, then smirked a little, "Don't see how you are going to do that when you always round turns too much."

Lance gasped dramatically, insulted, "You dare mock me?"

"I'm simply pointing out something I notice while you fly," Keith says slyly.

"Like how you always deviate from the route?" Lance challenged.

"The routes I take always cut 10 minutes off of delivery." Keith insisted.

"Yeah well, if you continue to do that you might get in trouble, Keith. You'll never make it to Fighter class if you keep pissing off the commander."

Keith wrapped his arms around Lance's shoulder, "I don't want to be a fighter if you aren't one."

Lance surprised himself at the surge of anger running through him, "Don't hold yourself back because of me!" he snapped at Keith, grabbing his cheeks and pinching them roughly. Keith grimaced at the feeling.  
"What the hell?" he slurred, "I thought you wanted us both to be in the same class!"

"I do, but not if it means you have to hold yourself back and purposively mess up for me! I want to earn my spot as a fighter next to you."

Startled, Keith lowered his hands, letting them trail down Lance's slender arms until they came to his hands. He squeezed them, "I… sorry. I didn't mean to make it sound like that."

Lance nodded, "I know. I'll make Fighter class, Keith- but I just won't make it as fast as you can." he hated to admit that out loud, but it was true. "I'm still learning the controls and my technique is sloppy."  
"It is not."

"Tell that to my commander." Lance rolled his eyes, "But he decides when I move up, so I gotta work on them."

Glancing away, Keith brought his hand upward, striking his oh so familiar ' _I'm thinking'_ pose, that Lance adored. "Well, maybe we could go get some extra practice in?"

"What do you mean?"

"I can give you some pointers."

Lance frowned, "Okay, I know I just admitted you were better, but that doesn't mean I want you to have to… _tutor_ me."

"I've flown those planes longer than you have." Keith insisted, "This isn't a matter of skill, it is about experience. I'll show you a few tricks I could on to make maneuvers a little easier, that is all. The rest is up to you."

Desperate enough to at least consider the offer, Lance nodded, "How would you even make that work?"

"What?"

"Well, we would both need to be in the cockpit for you to show me these so called tricks of yours, right? How are you going to show me?" Lance asked.

Keith blinked once, as if he intended to answer clear and to the point, but he hesitated- then he smirked, "Well, you could always just sit on my lap." he offered.

Lance wasn't expecting the bold offer and stammered a rebuttal, "I-In that small of a space? Isn't that a little dangerous Kogane?"

"I am the top rank in class," Keith teased, "It would be fine, but it might get a little... hot." he licked his lips.

Lance shivered, "You sir, are making this really hard to say no to."

"Then say yes."

The offer was too good to refuse, but it wasn't like they had taken this relationship very far yet- holding hands and giving small kisses on the couch as the snuggled, was the general list of activities they had since they started dating.

They would probably crash if they tried sharing a cockpit.

"I'll say yes- but the option of sitting on your lap stays in the air for another time." Lance reached out and adjusted the collar of Keith's jacket. Chuckling, Keith nodded, kissing Lance's knuckles as he pulled away.

"Another time then." he agreed.

Turns out, the second they agreed that there would eventually be a time where Lance would seat himself upon Keith's god-like thighs, Lance found himself desperately hoping for this blessed event to occur.

It was hard with this week being test week, but that was all Lance could think about and it was driving him up a wall.

When his patience for this situation could no longer hold, he ran off and hunted his boyfriend down, tracking him to the courtyard. It was basically empty with a few student littered here and there for lunch.

Keith however was seated on the bench close to the fountain, his face stuffed in a book.

Being the ninja he totally was, Lance snuck his way around the foliage to stand right behind Keith. He was so consumed in the book, something Lance had never seen Keith do before, that Lance glanced over his shoulder to get a peek at what he was reading.

English words translated to Spanish littered the pages, and Lance realized that Keith's quiet mumbling was him trying to repeat these words.

Lance had to step back to breath, running a hand through his hair. Smiling, he leaned towards Keith's ear, whispering, "Hola, Keith."

Keith leaped up, face red and book falling to the floor. Scrambling to grab it he held it close to his chest, "Lance!" gaze wavering he looked everywhere but at him, "...Hola."

"You learning Spanish?" Lance stepped over the bench, grinning from ear to ear.

Keith stammered, "O-Oh this? Uh, I had some spare time and… stuff."

"I can teach you how to pronounce some words if you want."

Keith straightened, blinked, then nodded, "Okay." sitting down on the bench; Keith opened the book and glanced at him.

Keith got confused when Lance didn't instantly sit down next to him, going tense and rigid that when Lance finally did, it was on his lap.

"Okay, so what words are you?" Lance asked casually, throwing his arms around Keith's neck and propping his knees up like Keith was his own personal beanbag.

Keith spaced, forgetting his own name for a few seconds, "I-I umm… I'm still on the basics." he explained, clearing his throat to sound stern. "Haven't gotten anywhere close to full sentences yet."

Leaning a bit into one another, chests grazing, Keith held out the book with shaking hands.

"G-Goodbye." he read the first word in a small voice.

"Adios." Lance explains.

"Chair."

'Silla."

"Dog."

"Perro."

"Apple."

"Manzana."

"Red."

"Rojo."

"Blue."

"Azul." Lance leaned forward, feeling a sudden confidence he says, "Red and Blue make púrpura." he informed Keith, running his thumb across his bottom lip. "Did you know what púrpura is?"

Keith visibly swallows, "Purple?" he guesses.

Lance nods, his foot brushing the back of Keith's ankle, "They make purple."

"Lance…" with a shaky breath, Keith's hands moves to his, "You are driving me nuts here."

Lost in those eyes, Lance says, "Keith, eres hermoso."

"What?" he asks. "What did you say?"

Startled, Lance looks away, "Nothing."

"No. No say it again," Keith is flipping through his book, "Say it again." he insists, unable to fully recall exactly what Lance had just told him.

"It was nothing…" Lance lifts a hand to hide his face. Getting up he started to walk away, but Keith was hot on his tail.  
"Tell me what you said!"

"Just drop it!" Lance ordered

"Not until you tell me!"

"Never!"

After a few hours of pestering him, Keith eventually dropped the subject, much to Lance's relief. He hadn't even intended to say that at the time… he just did. It was an automatic reaction that Lance was positive anyone would say because it's- well it's Keith!

At least he could end the day with the satisfying fact that it was awesome sitting in Keith's lap. If only he could do the same now- but Keith insisted that he needed to study and that Lance should do the same.

So they sat in Keith's room in silence, textbooks open and completely focused on their studies. Keith's roommate had left a little bit ago, so Lance wouldn't have to worry about getting caught at staring endlessly at his boyfriend.

Studying? Please. He was in Keith's room, sitting on Keith's bed, with said Keith only a few feet away from him- no one could focus with this much pure Keith essence floating around.

With that said, he was looking at Keith throughout the entire hour- that was until Lance finally noticed something after 2 minutes of simply staring at Keith's hands, "Is that my pen?"

Keith froze, glancing back and forth from his boyfriend to the pen in question, "What?"

"That pen, isn't that the one I leant you?" Lance narrows his eyes suspiciously, "The one you never gave back."

"There are a lot of pens like this." Keith insisted quickly. A little too quickly.

"I chewed on the bottom of the pen a little." Lance motioned to the small chew marks scratching the bottom.

"Which is really gross, you shouldn't lend someone a pen you chewed on," Keith says

"So you admit it is mine!" Lance gasped.

Keith glanced away, twirling the pen between his fingers, "Didn't say that."

"You totally did. Give it back." he held out his palm.

"I'm using it."

"Keith."

"Lance," Keith smirked smugly.

Grumbling, Lance leaned forward to grab it. "Give it." Keith caught his hand, holding it in place.

There was a little gleam in Keith's eyes- something playful and something a little more- w-well Lance wasn't sure what the other part of that look was, but it made the hair on the back of his neck stand straight.

Keith started to lift the pen to his lips, eyes never once leaving Lance's gaze. Sticking the end of it in his mouth, Keith bit down slightly, running his tongues over the previously made bite marks.

"Come take it then." Keith challenged.

Lance's breath caught in his throat, unable to tear his eyes away. "...Keith," he says weakly. It made him shake in the knees at the thought of Keith keeping the pen solely for this purpose. It shouldn't have even been as hot as Lance's heart made it feel, but it was.

Keith's pink tongue shot out again, running down the side of it, thrilled to delve into the little divots made months ago by his boyfriend's teeth. "I've grown quite attached to this pen and I would hate to give it up."

Lance bit his lip, "That is cheating."

"Is it?" he inquired, "If you really want it you can have it. Just take it." letting the pen rest against his longue he leaned forward. Lance held his breath when Keith grabbed his other hand, pinning both of them down, preventing him from simply reaching out and snatching it.

Where was this coming from? Revenge from earlier? Lance really, and he means he _really_ does not mind this sudden leap, but his mind was racing too much to really think!

Heart hammering in his chest, Lance's pride refused to let him back down. Tilting his head slightly, he slowly stuck out his own tongue. Waiting till his nose brushed Keith's, he carefully grazed his tongue across the Pen's surface.

Then he could taste him- sweet but so very Keith, and Lance lost it. The pen fell to the floor and their tongue's collided, swirling and running across the other in ways that Lance had never imagined was possible. It was messy and their breathing was ragged, but neither of them cared.

It was amazing.

Feeling's Keith's hands shake against his wrists, they released him and wrapped around his neck, pulling him close enough to press against each other. Lance's hand wrapped around his back, mind too foggy to really care that he was losing the strength of his legs and had to fall back onto the bed, dragging Keith with him.

He had never French kissed another person before- was he doing this correctly? It felt good, so he must have been, right?

Both having to remind themselves to breath every once and a while, they pulled apart, gasping. Keith barely waited 6 seconds before he was moving in for another one.

"I can't-" Lance tried to tell him, but couldn't bare to pull away. How could he both wish to breath so desperately, but want to kiss Keith till he fainted just a little bit more at the same time?!

"Breath through your nose…" Keith said, barely pulling an inch away. That was easier said than done.

"That's-"

"Lance." Keith pulled away from Lance's mouth with a popping noise, "Guess what?"

"W-What?" he inquired. Smiling mischievously, Keith ran his hand through Lance's hair.

"Eres hermoso."

Lance lifted his hands to cover his face, "You looked it up…" he groaned.

"I did." Keith kissed his knuckles, "Didn't realize you thought I was beautiful."

"Shut up Kogane." Lance flushed.

Keith smiled and says, "Eres Hermosa…" and Lance's felt he realized something as he leaned back in to continue their make out session.

He loved this cocky pilot…

* * *

 **Next day**

"Lance!" turning at the sound of his name, he strained his neck to peck over the crowd. Seeing a hand lifted high into the air he recognized the red of the coat. Pushing around the students he smiled when Keith came into view.

"Hey-" he stopped cold at the man standing next to him. He was wearing a commanding fight class uniform and standing next to Keith with a bright smile. Lance recognized him instantly.

It was Shiro. It was the one and only SHIRO!

Keith was grinning from ear to ear, "I wanted you to meet my friend, Shiro."

Shiro gave a smile his way and held out his hand, "Lance, right? I've heard a lot about you from Keith."

He was going to faint… He was going to faint. His hero, his role model, his very inspiration was standing before him wanting to shake his hand. Brushing his hand against his pant leg when he realized his palm felt sweaty, he shook Shiro's hand vigorously. "I-It's an honor to meet you!"

Shiro chuckled at his enthusiasm, "You as well. I'm glad I finally got to meet you. Keith never stops talking about you."

"Shiro," Keith grumbled, face red. Smirking Shiro glanced at him.

"Hope you are taking good care of him, Lance."  
"Y-Yes, sir! I am!" Lance nods. "A-At least I think I am. I'm trying. Keith is Keith." he says in a panic.

"Hey." Keith huffs, "What does that mean?"

"Just call me Shiro, Lance." Shiro insists, beaming at him.  
"S-Shiro…"

"Do you enjoy being a pilot, Lance?"

Lance glanced nervously at Keith, who motioned for him to speak. "I do. I love it! Being in the sky is the best thing in the world."

Shiro chuckled, "It is indeed. I can't wait to see you in action. I myself am preparing for my next mission."  
"The Kerberos one?" Lance inquired.

"Oh, you heard of that? Yes, we depart for it in 2 months. It will take some time to get there, but hopefully this trip will be able to expand our knowledge on our solar system."

"I can't believe you get to fly that mission- I mean, of course, you would be able to fly that mission. You are practically a legend." Lance gushed, "Are you nervous?"

"A little, but as my commander has always said, if you get too worried about what could go wrong, you might miss the chance to do something great." Shiro glanced at Keith, giving him a little wink as if to quietly approve of Keith's choice. Keith blushed slightly and nudges Shiro away from him, hoping Shiro didn't say anything else embarrassing in front of Lance.

"That is… very cool." Lance grinned.

"I'm glad you think so.' Glancing at the clock, Shiro straightened, "I have a meeting in a few minutes. It was nice to meet you Lance- we should talk some more later." Giving him one last shake of his hand, he patted Keith's shoulder. "You two have fun."

"Bye! Bye Shiro!" Lance waved wildly as he left.

"You are totally fangirling."  
"I am not-" Lance cut himself off, "Dude, that is my hero! I told you this yesterday!"

"I know." Keith nodded.

"Yeah, so, of course, I might be fangirling a little! How in the world did you manage to become friends with Shiro?" Lance whispered in shock.

Keith smiled a bit, pride shining in his eyes, "I've known him for years. He's like my brother."

"That is totally unfair." Lance insisted.

"How so?" Keith snorted as they exited the building.

"It just is." Stopping when they approached a red painted hover bike, Lance raised an eyebrow when Keith pulled out some keys. "...Is this thing yours?"

"Better believe it." Keith swung his leg around the seat, "Get on."  
Having never been on one before, Lance nodded his head. "How did you get this?" he asked, seating himself behind Keith.

"Shiro and I built it together." Keith turned it on, smiling smugly when Lance wrapped his arms around his waist in shock. "Nervous?"

'Shut up."

"That isn't a no," Keith says, pulling back on the throttle and beginning a slow descent down the road. Once they got out of Garrison, Keith put on the speed, smirking a bit back at Lance. "Hold on!"  
"Wha-" Lance screamed as they shot over a hill, a bubbling laugh exploding from his chest when they landed. "This thing is awesome!"

"You haven't seen anything yet!" Keith aimed for another small hill.

"Whoa-hoooo!" Lance cheered as they shot over it, "How fast can this thing go?"

"How about I just show you?" Keith pulled back on the throttle. Gripping onto Keith's back, Lance cackled into his shoulder.  
"This is awesome!"

They arrived at the town a few minutes later, giggling like idiots, their hair shooting back against their skulls from the speed they were moving. Stumbling off the back, using Keith for support, Lance was wheezing.

"W-We gotta take the long way back." he grinned.

"Agreed."

Leaving the hover bike in park, the two took to the town, marching through shops and restaurants in order to figure out what to do. Keith even indulged Lance's hobbies by letting Lance dress him up in a few outfits in Lance's favorite stores.

"Does everything look good on you?" Lance demanded, sounding a little irritated when Keith stepped out once again.

"I don't know, does it?' Keith smirked at him.

"...Yes." Lance nodded. "Put on this hat-" it barely touch his head before Lance ripped it off, "Doesn't match. Try this one instead. Yes." he approved, stepping back to admire his work. Making a box out of his hands, he pretended to be taking photo's of Keith, "Debería atarte tu cabello, Keith. O tal vez incluso cortarlo. Eso estaría bien. Una pequeña cola de caballo." (

I should tie your hair, Keith. Or maybe even cut it. That would be fine. A small ponytail.)

"You said something about my hair- don't know what, but the answer is no if you said something about cutting it." Keith points at him. Moving around Keith, Lance pulled back Keith's hair, holding it in place and leaning over to see how the look would be.

"Hot." he decides.

Keith hits his hand away, returning his mullet to the way he liked it. "I'm not getting this outfit."  
"But it looks great on your." Lance sighed.

"Not my style-" moving back into the dressing room to change, he stepped out and took the shirt Lance had grabbed out of his hands.

"Hey, I'm getting that." Lance tried to take it back.

"I'm buying it."

"Keith-" Lance tried to take it away.

"My treat." Keith insisted.

"I can get my own clothes." Lance laughed.

"And I can get my boyfriend some gifts." Keith moved to the counter before Lance could argue any further. Watching Keith pull out his wallet, Lance leaned against him. Reaching out, he plucked up Keith's student identification card.

"Aww." he cooed, "Look at you and your hair all combed back."

Keith scrambled to take it back, "They forced me to-" he insisted, "They said they had to see my full face or whatever."

"Yeah." Lance brushed back his bangs, "I had to do that too."

When the sale was done, Keith handed Lance the bag containing his new shirt. Lance was already putting it on by the time they returned to the bike. "Milk or Apple juice, which do you prefer?" he inquired.

"That is an odd question. Milk." Keith says, throwing a leg over his bike. Lance moved behind him, happily wrapping his arms around Keith's waist.

"Only if you make it odd."

"It's odd either way."

* * *

 **Several weeks later**

Lance wasn't sure what to say when he was handed a small white announcement during class one day. The instructor has passed them out, informing the students that they would be sending reports home to each student's family to discuss their grades and evaluate their progress.

Lance wasn't too worried about it. He even wanted to make a joke about it at the end of class, but when he looked over at Keith, he found the paper ripped in half and currently being tossed towards the trash.

Keith didn't say anything on the action and glanced at Lance, "What?"

"Oh uh…" Lance shook his head, "Nothing."

A few students were starting to groan, "Ugh, my parents are going to kill me when they see my grades."  
"At least yours won't nag you. That's all mine do- nag nag. What a pain." others were saying.

It was bothering Lance. He wanted them to shut up. He wanted to walk over there and tape their mouths shut- but Keith didn't even bat an eye in their direction.

If he didn't care than Lance shouldn't have- but he did! Ooh, he did so much that he started grinding his teeth into his pen by force of habit.

"Hey!" He finally called over his shoulder. The students looked at him, blinking, "How about you shut up and stop complaining?"

The room fell quiet.

"What the hell, Lance?" one scowled.

"You heard me, I said shut up. You got bad grades, that is your fault."

The guy was already stalking towards his desk, face red, "You starting something McClain?"

"If you don't shut up, then hell yeah I am."

"Lance," Keith warned.

Lance ignored him, "You know you are pretty lucky to get such nice parents." Lance told the student, "Bet they would be pretty sad that the only thing nice you have to say about them is how much money they got in their accounts."

"Why you-" he grabbed the collar of Lance's shirt.

"Hey!" Keith shot upward, grabbing the guy's wrist.

Startled for but a moment, the student sneered, "Ooh, course you got Mr. 1st rank on your side. Should have expected that from a bunch of queers. What's wrong Keith? Need your _boyfriend_ to stand up for your homeless ass?"

Keith sucker punched him, throwing him to the floor. The class erupted into screams, pushing on the fight.

Lance had barely managed to pull Keith off the guy by the time the instructor ran into the room again, sending all of them straight to the principal's office. Needless to say, he was not happy.

He scolded all of them thoroughly, mostly at Keith for being the one to initiate the fight.

"This is the 3rd time this week we've had issues with your behavior Kogane." the man warned, "I don't feel I need to remind you what will happen if you are expelled from Garrison Galaxy?"

Keith lowered his gaze, gritting hit teeth, "No sir."

"Good." given them each a week of detention, he sent them on their way.

Lance was shuffling after Keith all the way to his room. "What did he mean by that?" he asked.

Keith huffed a little, "What? Who?" he sounded agitated, like he wanted to punch something. Grabbing the tape he used to wrap around his hands while training, Lance realized he was leaving to do just that.

"The Principal. What happens if you get expelled?" Lance pushed, following Keith not only to his room but also now to the training room. It was empty within.

Keith was avoiding his gaze, "Nothing Lance, forget it."  
"No, tell me." Lance grabbed his arm, "I want to know."  
"Lance-" he sighed, "It isn't a big deal.  
"It feels like it is since you won't tell me."

Keith couldn't argue, turning to the punching back to give it a few good punches. "I- I'm an orphan Lance. I don't have a home, so if I get kicked out- I get put back into child services until I turn 18."

"What?" Lance gasped, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I don't plan on getting expelled!" Keith snapped, "I just- Ugh!" he punched the bag again, desperate to work out his anger. "That is all it is Lance. You don't have to overthink it. I'll be on my best behavior from now on- okay?"

"No not just okay, this is serious Keith." Lance insisted.

"I know that! Lance, I'm used to this. I don't have parents, big deal! You shouldn't have had to get in trouble today for me either!"

"Wha- why are you suddenly turning this on me?" Lance demanded

"Because you were trying to pick a fight." Keith pointed at him.

"That guy had it coming."  
"You could have ignored him! I get it Lance… I know why you did it, and I appreciate the thought, but I'm use to that. They have parents so it is okay for them to complain about them. It is okay for you to complain about yours- that is normal. You don't have to be so cautious about it with me." Keith turned away, "I don't want anyone's pity…"

"I wasn't-"

'I know…" his voice died off, "I know."

"I-I'm sorry Keith," Lance said softly.

"It is fine Lance. It is almost a good thing no one wanted me. I wouldn't be here if they did." Keith grumbles.

Lifting his hand, then lowering it, Lance glared at his feet. Forcing himself forward, he wrapped his arms around Keith from behind, cradling him to his chest, "I want you with me."

Keith's shoulder shuddered, "Then... it is a good thing I am here." his voice cracked, collapsing back into him. "It is a good thing I'm yours…"

"It is… I promise you it is." inhaling Keith's scent, Lance couldn't control the wild emotions running through him. He wanted Keith to know he cared. He was desperate to show him, so he held him close and kissed him. It was kind of awkward since Keith had to turn his head to kiss Lance from behind, but they made it work.

Pulling away, his kissed Keith's cheek, his chin, and then his neck. Not expecting that, Keith shudders and turns his head automatically, allowing Lance more access. Taking that as an invitation, Lance kisses trail up from his shoulder to below Keith's ear, nibbling below the spot.

Keith shakes in his arms, breathing heavily. The beating pulse Lance's feels with his lips is going crazy and he can't help but suck on the spot. When he pulls away, he is satisfied at the small hickey left there.

He rather enjoyed that sight, thrilled at the idea of marking Keith for all to know that he belonged to him. So he continued the assault, backing Keith up until they got to a chair, forcing Keith to sit on his lap.

"Lance." Keith gasps, curving his back when Lance pushed down one sleeve of his shirt and jacket to exposes his bare shoulder. The creamy skin made Lance's heart race as he left his marks.

"Keith…" he ran his lips up the back of his boyfriend's neck. Keith fell back into him, gasping heavily, fidgeting against the feeling.

With that chance, Lance reached around and grabbed Keith's chin, lifting it and kissing his Adam's apple. He didn't stop until every inch; ever centimeter of Keith was cover in his love bites. It was driving Keith crazy, but he never once tried to stop Lance.

In fact, Lance dare say that Keith loved it more than he would ever admit. It was a nice change, having Keith wrapped around his finger, making him succumb to these little pleasures.

Note to self Lance: a weakness for Keith is his neck.

What about his ears?

Giving it a test, Lance ran his tongue along the shell of it. Keith tenses, curling into himself and trying to turn away, his face flushed. "D-Don't…"

Unable to remove himself from Lance's lap with his boyfriend's arms wrapped around his waist, Keith gave a soft startled cry when Lance's mouth followed him, biting at his earlobe. "L-Lance!"

"Do you want me to stop?" Lance inquired, not stopping until given the signal to do so. Keith never answered, so Lance reached up to run his finger across the other ear. The warmth he felt at his fingertips from the flushed ear was delightful.

"Keith~" he cooed, licking the inside of his ear.

"... Dont… don't stop." Lance bit his ear and then forced his chin to turn to kiss him, sweet and gentle. It was unreal how sensitive Keith was right now. The lightest touches had him gasping- begging for more- and Lance hadn't even touched anything below the collarbone. Maybe it was just how high his emotions were- or maybe he was just high off of Lance?

Giving Keith's lips one last peck, Lance pulls away, "Keith, I should stop." he insists. Keith makes a noise of protest. "I'm serious. If we keep going- I might not stop."

"Who says I would want you to stop, Lance?' Keith dares him.

"We are both emotional right now…" Lance's bumps his forehead with his own, "We aren't really thinking straight. I don't want us to regret this later…"

"I'm not emotional. I wouldn't regret it." Keith kisses him. Lance gives him that, but pulls away.

"You are too."  
"I am not- ah!" Lance pinched his nipple through his shirt, running his finger teasingly along the bud. "God, Lance. I don't know what is happening…"

"I'm not sure either, and I really, _really_ don't want this to stop, but I think it is smart if we do. I don't want to rush anything. Not like this is considered sex or anything, but if you keep making these noises, it is going to get to that real soon."

Biting his lips, eyes puffy, Keith nodded. "Y-You're probably ri- Lance, geez. Can you not-" Lance was still rubbing circles against his nipple, "I can't focus with y-you doing that."

"You mean this." both of his thumbs began to rub each nipple now, moving in agonizingly slow circles.

Keith groaned, gritting his eyes shut when they began to grow hard, "Y-You can't say to s-stop when you are the one doing everything."  
"Well, you did once say I drive you crazy."  
'You do! God… god you do- ahh. Laaahnce."

"That was a very sexy way to say my name."

"Lance!" he growled.

"Sorry, sorry. Couldn't resist." Lance pulled his hands away, wrapping his arm around his boyfriends chest and giving him a squeeze, "...Are you sure you are alright?"  
Taking large breaths to calm himself, Keith nodded, "Yeah." the pink in his cheeks was adorable.

"Good." Lance cooed.

Leaning into each other, Keith slowly scowled at his neck. "How do you expect me to hide this?" he demanded.

Lance laughed, "Time to pull out the turtle necks~"

"I don't own any turtlenecks." Keith complained.

"You can borrow mine."

Rolling his eyes, Keith let out a small content sigh, "...Thanks for being here Lance."  
"Of course."

Enjoying this little moment as much as possible, Lance returned to this room feeling lighter than ever. He was in love with Keith…

The thought made him feel bubbly and he loved it. He loved all of this.

It was fantastic.

But life always seemed to have a way of getting in the way, didn't it?

Three months later, Kerberos went missing. All of Garrison was devastated, desperate to find even just a speck of hope that they were still out there, but there was nothing.

Nothing at all.

Lance could hardly believe his eyes when Shiro's picture appeared on the screen, stating that he was now dead with his two-crew members.

"Oh jeez…" Hunk couldn't believe his eyes. Noticing Lance rising to his feet, Hunk raised an eyebrow, "Lance?"

Lance ran to Keith a second later, refusing to stop even after Hunk called after him.

* * *

 **Yay! New chapter**


	4. Breaking In Two

Keith wasn't in his dorm- or the training room- the cafeteria…

Lance had found him by following the sounds of screams and yelling coming from the teacher's lounge. The red jacket culprit causing the commotion had the principal by the shirt, slamming him into the ground with more strength than most were probably expecting from the young cadet.

"Keith-!" Lance slide into the room, stopped instantly by the hands of a few other instructors as the others attempted to pry Keith's cold determined grip off the one he was assaulting.

"Crew error?! Shuttle error!? Like hell Shiro messed up! Like hell he did!" Keith roared, his face contorted in a way Lance had never seen- ruthless rage.

"Keith! Calm down-!" the instructor got an elbow to the gut.

"You should have made sure! If you are going to send someone out that far you make 100% sure the shuttle can get them home! Why didn't you do that?! It is your fault he's dead!" Keith kicked and screamed wildly as 6 other men had to pull him back, using everything they had to restrain him.

They held him down until he exhausted himself, placing him into the infirmary when his screaming had stopped. They allowed Lance in, assuming he was a friend and asked him to try and talk some sense into Keith.

Lance wasn't sure he could- but he didn't disagree to go and try.

When he entered, he found Keith huddled in the corner, fists clenching and unclenching. He looked horribly exhausted, and it was amazing that he still found the strength to stand up at all.

"Keith?"

"Leave me alone." his mumbled.

"Keith-" Lance extended out a hand.

He slapped it away, "I said leave me alone! What about that don't you understand?!"

Startled, Lance retracted his stinging hand. Stepping back, he held his breath for Keith to say something- anything. When he didn't, Lance ended up sitting across from him.

The silence was torture- but Lance endured it, his eyes never leaving Keith until the instructor came in and told him to return to his dorm. He refused her at first, but she insisted, saying that Keith would be returning to his dorm as well.

They didn't even say goodbye.

In the halls the next day, Lance ran to Keith's room, exhausted from zero sleep. His hope was that Keith had calmed down, if only slightly, and would talk to him- he got the cold shoulder.

Lance wondered if Keith could even hear his voice at all.

For days after, Keith never went to class. Despite Lance's best effort the closest he got to seeing Keith would be the quickly disappearing form down the hall.

Resorting to ditching his own piloting class to find him, he managed to corner Keith towards the back of the school.

Approaching him as one would a wild animal, Lance kept his voice low, "Can we talk?"

"I have nothing to say," Keith seethed, his gaze wild. His face was bruised horribly and Lance had to wonder exactly how many fights he had gotten into these past few days.

At a lost for words, wanting nothing more than to embrace his boyfriend and tell him it was okay- knowing that wouldn't be enough, he says, "I'm here, Keith."

"Why does that matter?" Keith laughed coldly,

Lance frowned, "What?"

"You'll leave! I know you will- I always thought you would."

"Keith, calm down." Lance says, "You aren't making sense."

"I'm perfectly calm!"

"You are not."

"What the hell do you know?!"

"I know you, Keith." Lance held up his hands. "I know this is hard-"

"Don't even start," Keith warned.

"I want to help you, Keith. I know Shiro was important to you-"

"You don't know anything!" Keith exploded, "Nobody does!"

"Of course I know! You even said it yourself; Shiro and you were like brothers! He is practically family to you-"  
"Don't talk about him!" Keith stepped towards him and Lance stepped back. He wasn't afraid of Keith, but the action had caught him off guard.

"I-" he gulped, "I just want to help you, Keith."

"Help me…" Keith says dryly, his tongue rolling over the words. There is a dark look in his eyes that Lance had never seen before. Taking another step back when Keith go closer, he could feel his back hit the wall behind him.

"Yes... Help you."

"Then make me feel better." Keith grabbed his chin. Startled, he tensed when Keith kissed him. It was rough and demanding, nothing like any kiss they had ever shared before.

"Wait-" Lance yanked away. Keith was relentless- pushing him farther and farther, pressing every square inch of his body against him, and stopping all movements. "Keith, stop- we can't do this right now." Lance felt himself starting to panic, a foreign fear bubbling in his stomach.

Keith bit at his neck- it hurt. Wincing, Lance felt frantic, pushing against Keith as much as he could to get away.

"Why are you fighting?" Keith hissed.

"Because this would mean nothing," Lance explained hoarsely.

Keith stopped, "Nothing?' he seethed.

"N-No- that isn't what I meant." he cringed, "This wouldn't be healthy Keith. It'll just end up making this complicated-"

With heavy and uneven breaths, Keith gripped Lance's wrists, tugging and pushing them in some sort of irrational pattern. His mind couldn't seem to make up its mind on pushing him away or pulling him closer. In the end he did nothing, his trembling from his unstable emotions- it had to be making him irrational. "Complicated?! Well, maybe I am complicated, Lance!"

"Stop yelling at me! I'm trying to help!"

"You could help by shutting up!"

"And just let you do whatever the hell you wanted? This is a two-sided situation, Keith-" he grunted when Keith shoved him back, "Stop manhandling me! This hurts!" he didn't care if the entire school heard him at this point- he wasn't putting up with this. "I don't want this to be nothing!"

"Then I guess we were nothing!"

Lance stopped cold, "No," he says quickly, "That isn't true. I just don't want this to be something we do in the spur of the moment because you are sad-"

"What is the difference between now and later, Lance? We messed around before- that's all we did. I don't see what is so different about this situation. We're just _messing around!"_ Keith almost sounded hysterical.

"We aren't messing around! It is more than that and you know it." Lance was quick to anger.

"What else is it Lance? Tell me!" Keith was in his space again, hands painfully gripping his hips. Forcing Lance's face towards him, he leaned in to kiss him.

"I said stop!" Lance punched him before he could stop himself, throwing Keith to the side, "This isn't you!" he screamed. Half a second later, he was seeing stars.

Stumbling over, a stinging sensation bloomed over his face. It didn't take a genius to realize what just happened.

Coming to terms with the fact that he has just been punched across the jaw, Lance could taste blood pooling into his mouth. With shaky knees, he got to his feet, eyes narrowed to Keith's trembling form. He didn't look apologetic, but he seemed frozen in place. Maybe he was still trying to accept what he had just done…

"Stop acting high and mighty-" Keith said with a low tone, "I'm sick of everyone pitying me- pretending to care-!"

"I do care, Keith!"

He scoffed, "You care? Since when did you care?"

Had Keith just forgotten these last months or was Lance taking crazy pills, "I've always cared!"

"Always... Stop lying. Don't tell me you suddenly love me, Lance." he said, sounding downright disgusted.

Lance couldn't describe his own expression, but the startled one Keith gave him must have meant it was bad. It felt bad. The last couple of months hit him like a brick and the fear that this had all just been something to pass the time to Keith…

He loved him.

Granted, he never once told Keith that he loved him- at least not yet, but couldn't he tell? Couldn't he tell just how infatuated Lance was with him during every second of the day? How Lance never even gave anyone else a second look since they had started dating? Once known as a flirt, Lance couldn't even imagine trying to catch the attention of anyone else but Keith ever again.

"I… I do." he felt like he was breaking. "I love you, Keith."

As if Lance had slapped him, Keith took a few quick steps back. "...Shut up. Don't tell me that right now."  
"When am I supposed to say it then?" Lance demanded through a sore throat.

"Never!" Keith was backing up; almost tripping over himself when lance moved to follow him, "Stay away from me."

"Keith…" Lance pleaded.

"Don't say another word! I don't want to hear it!" He covered his own ears. There were two options running through Lance's head- Keith was either acting this way because everything was too much and his wild emotions just couldn't handle being confessed to… or it repulsed him that Lance loved him.

Dating never had to lead to love- and sometimes people did it solely for the sake of being lonely and just needing some physical contact for a while… Was Keith one of those people?

Dreading ever saying anything, Lance desperately tried to fix this, "K-Keith just- I'm sorry. I didn't mean to- I just-"  
"We can't keep doing this." Keith cut him off, his voice crazed, "We should end it now or else…"

Lance swallowed hard, "What?"

"Break up. We should break up.'  
"No!" Lance argued, "If this is about what I just said, then-"  
"It isn't just that Lance. I can't do this- you can't do this. So we should just break it off now!"

"I don't want to!"

"Don't be difficult!" Keith roared at him, cheeks red and eyes puffy.

"I'm not- you are! You are…" he would not allow himself to cry right here and now, but it was becoming hard not to. "Keith, please."

"No." he was turning away.

"Keith!" he yelled, his voice cracking horribly.

"It's over Lance!" He sprinted around the building side and never looked back. With that, he just ran away. Lance tried to follow after him, but Keith had always been the better runner of the two. Lance never stood a chance.

He found himself collapsing behind the storage closet, grasping and pulling at his hair. His chest was tight- too tight. It hurt so much- like his whole body was cutting it two.

How he managed to stumble his way back to his dorm, Lance would never know.

Hunk rose from his chair when he arrived, horror dawning on his face when Lance stepped into the light, "Jeez, Lance! Your face- what happened?"

Lance collapsed then- a shuddering exhale releasing everything he couldn't bare to hold onto.

Hunk froze up when he began to sob, slowly but surely wrapping his arms around Lance. "It's… It's okay…" he stammered. "Everything is going to be okay." They sat there for a long time.

He hadn't cried so hard since his grandmother had passed away when he was 10. Honestly, he couldn't tell which pain stung more. Losing someone and never seeing them again, or losing someone and having to see them every single day- knowing that your best efforts weren't enough to keep them around.

Both felt pretty horrible.

In the end, he got sick and was stuck in bed for a few days. Hunk would come and go, continuing to go to class and bringing him soup or water during lunch hours. He was one hell of a cook.

"Hey, Lance." Hunk tiptoed into the room, carefully carrying a small bowl with him.

"I'm not hungry…" Lance said quickly.

"You have barely eaten anything the last three days." Hunk insists. The curtains were closed, making it hard to make out his friends face. "Just eat a little bit, for me."

Forcing himself to sit up, Lance sighed, "Okay." as he ate, Hunk placed the back of his palm to Lance's forehead.

"Your fever still hasn't gone down…" he said, worried. "I should go get the nurse again."

'I'm fine…" Lance felt the urge to throw up. Covering his mouth, he reached aimlessly for the spare bowl Hunk kept next to the bed in case Lance couldn't make it to the bathroom. Hunk was quick to react, handing it to him.

"I gotcha buddy."

Gagging into it, Lance desperately sucked in air, "T-Thanks Hunk-" he looked up, noticing an odd purple blemish on Hunk's left eye. "Hey-" he reached for it. Hunk flinched and stepped back. "Did someone hit you?" Lance couldn't believe it. "What happened?"

"It's nothing." Hunk insisted.

"No- who did it?" Lance was ready to get out of the bed and march to whoever dared!

"I got in my own hits, don't worry Lance. It is nothing." Hunk said with a low tone. Lance went still. Was Hunk angry? He never got angry.

"Who was it?" he asked again. When Hunk didn't answer, Lance knew who. "Hunk…" he shook his head, 'You didn't."

"You are my best friend." Hunk shrugs, "If someone messed with you, they mess with me. I had to make sure Keith understood that."

Biting his lower lip, Lance looked down in and hopes that would stop him from sobbing like an overemotional teenager..., which is what he was. "...Thanks for the soup Buddy." he took another spoonful. "It is great."

When his sickness had passed, Lance returned to class. He had tried several times to talk to Keith during small breaks within the class, but Keith cut down each one.

Lance couldn't bare to keep trying after attempt 5…

It was over, wasn't it…? They broke up, and Lance hadn't even gotten a say to it.

But he had only spoken the truth… was that so wrong of him?

With every passing day, Lance felt heavier- how did people keep going after something like this? What are you suppose to do or feel when you see the very person who is causing your heartbreak day after day?

Do you scream? Stop? Beg and plead? Let it go?

How does one let this go?

Someone tell him- please. Tell him how to stop looking at Keith and hoping for something. The pain of receiving nothing- not even a bat of the eye was killing him. Keith was killing him.

The more Lance watched him, the less he could focus on his own studies. He ended up falling behind, going from 2nd best to the bottom of the barrel, almost completely getting kicked out of Garrison for his grades. Hunk tried his best to help, which Lance appreciated, but it was hard.

In the end, he didn't pass his Fighter pilot test. It was over for him. Because he lost sight of his goal and got distracted he lost his dream.

How could he go home and face his family?

At least Hunk had passed his and would be placed into a crew. Lance could at least celebrate that. And it wasn't all that bad- his counselor even tried suggesting other careers he could follow- Things that would match his skill set. His little to nothing skill set.

Lance almost cried during the session and had to leave halfway through.

"Lance?" Hunk tapped on the bathroom door he had locked himself into, "You- you okay buddy?"

Using his sleeve to whip his eyes, he took a few breaths, "I'm fine." he looked at himself in the mirror, eyes narrowing. "I'm fine."

A week later, Keith had been expelled from Garrison for a disciplinary issue.

Lance tried his best to act as though he didn't care- but that was just a lie. Honestly, when he heard the news, he bolted to the front of the school, watching from the upper windows as a sleek black car pulled around the entrance.

A woman from Social Services has stepped out, adjusting her dress shirt and pulling back her hair. Lance felt as though he would throw up as she moved towards the building, knowing full well that she would be leaving with Keith for good.

Waiting for at least an hour, Lance was surprised to see the woman walking back to the car alone, frantically typing on her phone. It didn't take long for word to spread of Keith's disappearance. With his hover bike gone, Lance could only assume that Keith ran off. He alway seemed like the guy who would prefer to try and make it in the world solo than return to Social services.

He didn't even come to say goodbye- but it wasn't like they had said a word these past 3 months, so why would he have? It only hurt to have fake hopes like that.

"So Keith ran off…" Hunk gave him a cautious side look during dinner.  
"Guess so." Lance shrugged.

"Have any idea where he could have gone?"

"Don't know, don't care."

"Really?' Hunk frowned.

Lance didn't move for a long time, feeling too tired to continue having these conversations. He knew Hunk was just trying to help- and maybe talking about it would- but his heart felt too heavy to try. If he did, he was positive he would break and Lance had no idea how to glue something this big back together.

"I don't want to care." Lance sighs, going to bed without a word

The Dean approached him the next morning, saying that due to Keith being expelled, he was next in line for a Fighter pilot position. Lance was in.

He was in solely because Keith left. He hadn't earned it, he just so happened to be there when they needed a replacement.

It stung more than any blade, but he agreed.

"I'm a fighter pilot." He forced a smile as he pointed to the screen. Hunk looked at him nervously, but wrapped his arm around him and pointed to the screen.

"I'm your mechanic!"

Lance nodded, "That's good."

"It… it is. It is good! You made it!" Hunk insisted, hoping to get some sort of laugh or smile- any real sign of joy out of his friend. "And- And look here, our communication officer is Pidge Gunderson."

Lance shrugged, "I don't know who that is."

'Uh, they're… I dunno either."

"I'm right here." They turned at the sound of an unfamiliar voice. It was a rather small cadet with fluffy light brown hair.

"Oh, hey!" Hunk waved, "I'm Hunk, your mechanic."

"Lance," Lance says.

"..." Hunk chuckled nervously, "He is our fighter pilot."  
Lance straightened, "Y-Yeah. I'm your fighter pilot." They all shook hands. "Nice to have you on board."

When Lance fell silent, Hunk was quick to pick up the conversation, "WELP! We should probably go uh, bond, or something, right? Crews need to be close! We could go get pizza, or get something to drink, or… go sit quietly together somewhere?" neither seemed to be paying attention to him.

When Pidge suddenly saluted, all of them straightened when their commanding officer appeared from behind them, barking at Pidge, "Wrong arm, Cadet."

When he passed, they shared a breath of relief. "...So? How does all that sound?" Hunk asked.

"Sounds uh- sounds great buddy." Lance nodded.

"I don't have time to mess around with you guys." Pidge grumbled, "I'll see you in the simulator."  
"Sure." Lance and Pidge both moved in different directions.

"Wha- hey wait, guys!" Hunk insisted. Unable to cut himself in two, he followed after his best friend, "Lance. Come on pal."  
"Sorry Hunk I'm just- I'm not feeling too hot right now. I should go study…"

"You just made it to fighter Pilot, why would you need to study?"

"I- I just need to. I need to make sure I don't screw this up." Lance huffed, shuffling ahead, exhaustion evident in his voice.

"Lance." Hunk frowned.

* * *

 **0000-000-0000**

They worked in silence during most trainings, only talking when it was absolutely required.

"So- isn't this great?" Hunk cheered, "Awesome time, great crew."  
'Uh, yeah, sure." Pidge grumbled, eyes focused on their screen. Hunk frowned a bit.

"You uh-" he cleared his throat, "I really hate to always have to be the one to point this out guys, but we are a team and we should really try some bonding exercises some day."

"Sounds awesome, Hunk." Lance didn't even look at him.

"Aww come on Lance. We all have a day off tomorrow, maybe we could- I dunno, head to town? You love to go down to down."

"Not really interested." Pidge rolls their eyes.

"I have to study." Lance agrees, typing furiously on the screen.

Hunk bits his lip, "All you do is study."

His hands stop and he stares blankly into the distance, "...I need to study."

"You can spare one day for fun Lance. Remember that word, fun?"

"Course I do, Hunk." he sounds a little agitated.

"You sure?"

There is a bite in Lance's tone, "Yes."

"So then we'll go." Hunk grins, "It'll be great, I promise. You'll feel better if you get out into the sun again Lance."

"Will I?" he inquired dully, almost sounding shocked at the very suggestion.

"Pidge is coming too." Hunk agreed.

"I didn't agree to this." they scowled.  
"Too late, you are going." Hunk patted his back.

With that Hunk managed to get all three of them onto the bus after training- it was a miracle on his part. The day however, was painfully long.

They walked from store to store, barely talking. At least Pidge would point out something from time to time.

At one point Lance stopped to stare at some shirts. Knowing Lance's love for clothes Hunk had hoped he had found something interesting- but he recognized the shirt. Lance had one back at their room… it was the one Keith had bought for him.

Feeling tense, Hunk could see Lance's expression slowly morph from a blank stare to slow resentment, fading through time to a silent pain.

"L-Lance look!" he turned his friend around so fast Lance stumbled. Lifting his head, Lance frowned at the ponchos in front of him. "...Ponchos~' Hunk wiggled his fingers.

"...They're nice." Lance says.

"Haha!" Hunk forced a laugh, "Who is hungry?!"

"No thanks," Pidge says.

"Food it is!" he drags them out without another word.

As they order their drinks, Lance pushed the menu away. "I already ate." Hunk knew that was a lie- Lance had hardly been eating lately.

"At least get something small." he pleaded with him, "Like- oh look, they got a lot of yummy salads."

"I'm not hungry." he glances at his watch, "I should really head back- I need to study."

"You really don't." Hunk insisted.

"I'll fall behind or get someone killed if I don't know everything I can about the Fighter planes. I can't waste my time here..."

"You are a ball of sunshine, Lance." Pidge grouches. Lance doesn't reply and continues to look out the window.

"Pidge, come on man." Hunk turns to him.

"I'm just saying. We came all the way out here so that he could have fun and all he's done is just mope around. What, being a fighter pilot not good enough for you Lance? I'd hate to make your day boring. But hey, if you don't even like it, why do you even stick around, huh?"

Hunk opens his mouth, "Pidge- seriously."  
'I like being in Garrison." Lance says.

"You sure about that?"

"...I gotta go to the bathroom." Lance slides out from the booth, "Be back in a sec."

"Take your time, buddy." Hunk calls to him. When he is gone, Hunk glances at Pidge, "Dude."

'What?"  
"Can you at least pretend you are having a little fun for Lance's sake, and cut him some slack, please?"

"Wha-" Pidge looks insulted, "What do you mean?"

"All you've been is moody and grumpy since you joined the team." Hunk insists, "You don't have to like us, but we are going to be on the same crew from now on. The least you could do is give a smile every once or a while."  
'I don't see Lance doing that." Pidge snorts.

"Lance is-' Hunk slouched a bit, "He's going through a rough time."

"Well, maybe I am too."  
'And that is fine." Hunk insisted, "But Lance hasn't once called you out on your attitude and you've been nothing but a jerk since you got here. Lance isn't complaining, so I am trying not to either, but Lance is my friend and I won't sit by any longer with everyone bringing him down." he pointed a warning finger to Pidge, "So if you got something on your chest, then say it to me, but stop mocking him for his pain."

Shocked at the dark look that they were getting from the usually gentle Engineer, Pidge felt their mouth go dry, "I- I'm sorry. I don't mean to- I never meant to do that."

Hunk blinked a few times and nodded, "I know. You don't seem like a bad person Pidge. I want to be your friend too, so if you have an issue or something- you can tell us."  
Pidge seemed torn at the suggestion and looked away. "It is just- some family issues. I'd rather not go into detail."

'That is fine."  
"...What about Lance? What's gotten him so down?"

Glancing at the Bathroom, realizing his friend might not be out for a while he says, "He uh… got his heart broken."  
"Girl issues?" Pidge looked like they were really trying not to roll their eyes.

"It's not just some random girl, Pidge. He was different."

"He? Wait, so then Lance is-"  
'Bi, yes." Hunk nods, "His name was Keith and it was serious between them. Then one day he just- turned away. A lot of stuff happened and he tore Lance apart without any warning. After that Lance's lost his edge in flying. He didn't love it as much anymore and almost got kicked out of Garrison. He got back in because Keith got kicked out."

Pidge opened and closed their mouth, "So then… he is only here because the guy who broke his heart left."  
"Lance use to love everything around him. The smallest thing was an adventure to him. Being a pilot was his dream! But knowing that the only reason he is able to have his dream is because the love of his life left him behind- well, I can't even imagine how that feels."  
"... I didn't know."

"He knows that. Lance is a good guy Pidge, and he is used to people pushing him away or not liking him, as horrible as that sounds. He is never going to yell at you for how you act towards him. But- I'm not Lance. So I am trying to ask nicely as his friend and someone who wants to be yours- Don't make him feel any worse than he already does."  
'I… I won't." Pidge stammered.

"...Good." The two sat in silence until Lance returned.

"Sorry that took so long." his voice sounded raspy, "So uh- what are we going to eat?"

Pidge glanced from Lance to Hunk, then said, "I was thinking maybe- burgers?"

"Oh. They are good here." Lance agreed.

"You should definitely get one." Hunk gives him a little look. Lance cringes a little but slowly nods.

"... You know, I can show you my secret to getting a free salad here." Pidge announces. Lance and Hunk look up curiously. When the waiter arrived, Pidge ordered their burgers, quick to add a little something extra to the order.

"So it says here, I can order as many veggies as I want on my burger?"

"That is right, sir." The waiter nodded.

"Good, I'd like four times the regular amount you put on." Pidge smiled. The waiter looked shocked and slowly wrote that down.

"A-Alright. And you boys?"

"...We'll have what he is having," they say. Frowning suspiciously, as if he knew what they were planning, the waiter retreated back to the kitchen. 15 minutes later they received their burgers and watched in awe as Pidge scrubbed off the large layer of diced veggies onto the side of the plate and dabbed a little ranch on it. "Tada~"

"I never thought of that," Lance said in awe.

"Me either! You are brilliant Pidge!' Hunk cackled.

"Eh, I do what I do," Pidge smirked. Moving their fork around their salad a little, he watched Lance curiously from below their bangs. He was currently moving the veggies out from his burger, struggling to get everything to the side as neatly as Pidge did- but failing horribly.

"You are making a mess." Hunk snorts.

Lance suddenly smiles and Pidge can see it- the sparkle in his eyes reflecting a normally kind and joyful personality. Quietly they hoped Lance could go back to that one of these days.

* * *

 **00000-00000-0000000**

" _I do… I love you, Keith_."

Keith shot out of his bed with a jolt. Double taking his surroundings, he flipped the light on- taking in the sight of his new rundown shack of a home.

Skin sticky with sweat, Keith rose from his makeshift bed and stumbled outside. It always got chilly out here this late at night, but the cold felt refreshing against his heated skin.

Sighing, he tilted his head up, closing his eyes. He hated to look at the sky- it reminded him too much of that night. The night he first kissed Lance-

Even simply thinking his name had Keith leaning over. With a sudden rush, he straightened and scrambled to stick his hand into his pocket. Feeling a sense of relief when his fingers wrapped around something, he pulled out the blue ball pen.

It was a ridiculous memento but the only one Keith had.

Lance had confessed to him. Keith had never thought anyone ever would and the idea that Lance did had scared him. Everyone who loved him left him or died. His parents- Shiro- any friend he ever had eventually turned their backs on him.

When Lance had confessed… Keith's mind went into a manual overdrive, pushing Lance as far away as possible in hopes of assuring neither of those things ever happened to him.

In the end, Keith still lost him. He was alive… Lance was alive somewhere- so that was enough.

He was lying. No one was here to see his emotional turmoil but he managed to lie to himself within this chaos. And did it make up for what he did? Not even close.

At least here, after some months in solitude to collect himself, he could honestly and truly say- He loved Lance Mcclain too.

Sometimes Keith even wondered if he should return to Garrison and tell him this- but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He made his choice and he should stick with it- no matter how it hurt. No matter how lost he felt now that Lance was gone.

And that look- the open and broken look Lance had on his face when Keith commanded they break up. At the time Keith didn't stop to analyze it- his own fear commanding every fiber in his being. But now- it was all Keith could think about. It kept him up at night, torturing him through every second.

Lance was someone who should never cry, but Keith did the thing all others failed to do- he broke that smile. The smile that had warmed up during cold night and held him when he felt lonely.

God... what has he done?

Sucking in a breath, his grip tightened around Lance's pen when he felt something. There it was again- the energy.

Within these canyons was something- Keith didn't know what, but it was out there. It was calling to him, pulling him closer and closer to it. It was the soul reason he was staying out here and he didn't have a clue to what it was.

He admits to using it as a means of forgetting Lance for a few hours, but Lance always came back. Always.

For now, Keith would find whatever this energy was. It might be nothing in the end, but he had to put his time into nothing. If he didn't, Keith was positive he wouldn't be able to survive another day.


	5. You Look Great

"Galaxy Garrison flight log 5-11-14. Begin descent to Kerberos for rescue mission." Lance said into his headset. Checking over his controls, he took a shaky breath. It was good- everything was going well. Don't mess this up, Lance.

Turning the controls down a little too fast, he could hear Hunk choke behind him. "Lance?" he squeaked, "Can you keep this thing straight?"  
Lance chuckled at his friend, "Relax, Hunk. I'm just getting a feel for the stick." smirking a little, feeling playful, he said, "I mean, it's not like I did _this!"_ he gave the ship a sharp turn. "Or _this!"_ another turn.

Hunk gripped at his seat till his knuckles turned white, "Unless you want a white beef Stroganoff on all the little nooks and crannies in this thing you better knock it off man!"

Lance winced, "I can't understand how you can even eat that kind of stuff."

"It is a delish dish that you don't give a chance!" Hunk huffed.

Something beeped on Pidge's screen and he turned around, "We've picked up a distress beacon!"

"Alright look alive team. Pidge, track coordinates." Lance commanded, getting his game face on.  
"Copy."

Lance tightened his grip on the controls when the ship began to shake. Recognizing that as part of the test, he took a deep breath, frowning when Hunk yelled, "Knock it off Lance, please!"

"Oh, this one's on you buddy. We've got a hydraulic stabilizer out," he said over his shoulder.

Shocked to hear that, Hunk grimaced at the screen in front of him. Ready to leap to his feet and solve the problem, Hunk covered his mouth when the ship shook again, "Oh no." he felt ready to gag.

"Oh no, fix now, puke later!" Lance yelled at him.

"I've lost the signal." Pidge says, "The shaking is interfering with out sensors."  
Lance clicked his teeth, "Come on, Hunk."

"It's not responding." he panicked, getting out of his seat to open the panel and check manually.

Tapping the controls, feeling frustrated, Lance perked up when the sight appeared on his screen, "Oop, never mind fellas, there she blows. Preparing for approach on visual."

"Uh-" Pidge lifted a hand, "I don't think that's advisable with our current mechanical and gastrointestinal issues." he cringed at Hunk.

"Agreed." he says.

Lance was positive that a simple Hydraulic destabilization shouldn't have been enough from simply landing near the wreck, but Lance could just feel the judging eyes on his very back from his higher ups. Waiting for a simple slip up- ready to accuse it as a bad influence.

Because that is what it was for Garrison. If he messed up, it was Keith's fault. Because they were close and went out, Garrison assumes Lance had to share something similar with Keith. He already almost got kicked out, so the leash they kept on him was short. He could barely breath.

Wasn't that just mud flavored frosting on his piece of crap cake? Keith is to blame for his success and his failure! How wonderful.

"Lance?' Pidge demanded, "Did you hear us?"

"Okay." he says, "We'll round the area once and go in when we got our Hydraulic chamber under wraps. Pidge, call down to them and let them know their ride is rounding around and will be down as soon as we can."

Not even realizing that Pidge had gotten up from their seat to give the message, Lance was shocked when he suddenly fell forward at the ship's continued shacking, hitting their head against the floor.

"Ow!" Pidge yelped.

"What are you doing?! Buckle your belt, and Hunk, stop that shaking!" Lance snapped.

"I'm tryin-ahhh ohh." he trailed off, looking unable to control the vomit that was threatening to burst out of him. A second later- it emerged. Cringing at the mess he made, Hunk backed off and returned to his seat.

"Didn't I tell you to bring a bag?!" Lance commanded.  
"I forgot it!"

"Dude! Nasty!"

"Attention lunar vessel, this is Galaxy Garrison rescue craft 1-Victor-6-3 Tengo, we are rounding your coordinates and will come in for landing and extraction in a short moment."  
Suddenly, the alarms began to go off. "Hunk?" Lance snapped.

"Hold on- almost- got it. Got it." he gave Lance a thumbs up. The shaking stopped a second later and Lance aimed downward.

"Alright, rescue time~"

"Look out for that overhang!" Pidge yelled. Startled at how sudden Pidge screamed as if they thought Lance couldn't see the obvious overhang in front of him- he gritted is teeth.

"I see it." With a little effort, he began to turn the ship- gracefully rotating it to avoid the overhang walls.

" _Lance… Ease up on the controls. You'll hit the side."_

Lance felt himself flash back to a few months back to one of his many nights with Keith. They had been practicing their flying together, each giving the other tips. They had started up this simulation before, and Lance had even come across this exact overhang during those moments.

Keith had maneuvered it without a sweat, but Lance had crashed each time.

During the fourth attempt, Lance had been so frustrated he would have definitely crashed again, but Keith had reached around him, placing his hands over his.

 _"_ _Relax." he whispered into his ear, "Stop thinking so much, Lance. Breath."_

 _"_ _But-"_

 _"_ _You've got this. Just ease into it-" he turned his hands, along with the ship, "Keep a steady grip. Feel what your ships does, and-" weaving through the overhang gracefully, they straightened out, "Boom." He kissed him, "You nailed it."_

"Lance! LANCE!"

So caught up in the memory, Lance panicked and yanked on the controls, turning a little too far and slamming into the side of the overhang. Knowing from the horrid sound, they most likely lost an engine or wing-

"We lost a wing!" Hunk yelled.

Called it.

"Oh man." Lance grimaced as the screens went dark and they crashed.

 **Simulation: Failed**

 **"** Yup, thanks for letting me know that." Lance saluted the female simulation voice, "Always appreciate that." he grumbled.

"Lance, what was that?" Pidge grumbled,

"It's like you zoned out for a second." Hunk frowned.

"I uh- Sorry. That was my fault. All my fault." Lance said quickly. "I was just-"

The doors slide open and their commanding officer stood before them, "Roll out Donkeys!"

Stumbling out of the simulator, they were forced to face their entire class and superior officer, who had witnessed the entire thing.

"Well, lets see if we can use this complete failure as a lesson for the rest of you students. Can anyone point out the mistakes these three so-called cadets made in this simulator?"

"The engineer puked in the main gear box!" one raised their hand.

"Yes, as everyone knows vomit is not an approval kit for engine systems. What else?" Their commanding officer inquired, glaring at Hunk.

"The Comsec removed their safety harness." another said.  
"The pilot crashed."

No duh, they crashed.

"Correct, and worse of all, the whole job they are arguing with each other. Heck, if you are going to be this bad individually, you better at least be able to work as a team!" he snapped, "Galaxy Garrison exists to turn young cadets like you into the next generation of elite astral explorers. But these kind of mental mistakes is exactly what cost the lives of the men on the Kerberos mission!"

"That's not true, sir!" Pidge suddenly snapped, startling them all.

"What did you say?!" their commanding officer demanded

Lance quickly stepped forward, cover Pidge's mouth to avoid his rage, "S-Sorry sir! I think he hit his head when he fell out of his chair. The point taken." Pidge's muffled voice yelled angrily at him from behind his hand.

Narrowing his eyes, the commanding officer moved towards Lance. Straightening, he gulped at the heavy glare set towards him, "The greatest failure today was you, Lance Mcclain. The arguing could be set aside, but if the pilot can't get their crew their safely then he might as well put up his hat! I hope I don't need to remind you, that the only reason you are here is that the best pilot in your class has a disciplinary issue and flunked out. Don't follow in his footsteps."

Feeling his heart torn at those words, Lance lowered his head, "Y...Yes, sir."

He could feel Pidge and Hunk's eyes on him, but couldn't bare to look at them.

"Next!" allowing the next team to move forward, Lance and the others returned to their rooms for the day. As soon as they stepped in, Hunk threw his jacket to the floor.

"That guy doesn't know what he's talking about."

"...Huh? What?" Lance inquired dully.

"You are a great pilot!"

"Oh…" Lance looked away. "Sure."  
"Not, _sure,_ Lance." Hunk pointed a finger at him. "You are great. You just haven't had a chance to show everyone yet. I've seen what you can do! You are way better than everyone else in this school! Definitely better that the commander and totally better than-" he cut himself off, but Lance knew who he was going to say.

"...You think?"

"I know."

Unable to stop the smile, Lance gave Hunk their signature high five, "Thanks, Buddy." Feeling a lot better, he glanced at his closet. Feeling inspired to do something, he quickly changed into his casual clothes. "Hunk, quick, get dressed."

"Huh?"  
"Trust me."

"Uh, okay?" when he was ready to go, Lance dragged him out of the room and down the hall. They weren't allowed to walk around in their casual clothes unless they had a day off, which they definitely didn't have today, so Hunk was a little nervous. "W-What are we doing exactly?"  
"Going out," Lance explained, pressing himself to the wall and looking around the corner. Noticing the commander coming, he ducked down.

"Lights out in five!" he said, "Everyone back to their dorms, now."

Watching him leave, Lance smirked and motioned for Hunk to follow, "We shouldn't be doing this."

"You heard Commander Iverson. We need to bond as a team. We are going to grab Pidge, hit the town, have fun and-"

"Okay I-I'm just saying this here, right now, for the record-" Hunk stammered when the lights when out above them, "This is a bad idea. You don't even like going to town anymore."

Lance couldn't argue with that since that is where he spent most of his dates with-

….That is where he spent most of his time with a certain someone who shall not be named.

But, the town was really the only thing close enough for any of them to go to, so there wasn't much Lance could do about that.

"We'll go bowling," he concludes. Bowling was fun. Everyone loved bowling. Keith and him never went bowling so baam, perfect.

"You sure man?" Hunk inquired, voice gentle.

"I appreciate the concern pal, I do- but I can't avoid the town forever. It has been a year since the breakup… I'll be fine." Lance says. In all honesty, he meant it. He wasn't perfectly chill about all of it, but he was really starting to put Keith behind him. Letters from his Mom helped the process.

When he had told her about what happened, she sent letter after letter explaining how proud she was of him for sticking with Garrison and being a Pilot despite how much it hurt to do so at times.

In one of her first letters, she had written ' _Mijo, my precious son, this is a lesson life teaches all, no matter where you are from. It is one that never gets easier to learn. You will continue to meet people who you will grow to care for. They will stay in your heart, but I'm afraid not all of them will stay in your life. I know it must hurt right now, but the pain will lessen through time. Stand tall, you have your friends with you."_

Touched more so than Lance had ever been before, he held those words close to his heart.

 _"_ This still doesn't feel like a good idea," Hunk muttered behind him

Lance ran ahead of him. "You know, for someone in a space exploration program, you don't have much of a sense of adventure."

"All of your little _adventures,_ end up with me in the Principal's office." Hunk frowned at him, watching Lance get on his hands and knees to crawl pass the window that looking into the Teacher's lounge. "...Aww man." he sighed, crawling after him.

Using any means possible, including hiding in trash cans to get to Pidge's room, both were shocked to find him exiting his room right as they got there. Watching curiously, they witness him running down the hall with a fully loaded backpack.

"Where is he going?" Lance inquired.

"Bathroom."  
'With a big bag?"

"...Shower?"

"I don't think so. He is up to something."

"...I don't think I want to know."

"I do~" Lance hummed.

"Of course you do." Hunk slouched. Stalking Pidge like a creeper up the roof, they were confused to see him set up a whole bunch of gear only to sit down and place on some headphones.

Curious, Lance approached the communications expert and kneeled behind him. Leaning forward, he lifted the headphone and whispered, "You come up here to rock out?"

Pidge lept to their feet with a scream, "L-Lance?" he demanded. "Hunk?" relaxing, he looked away, "No. I'm just… uh… Looking at stars."

"Yeah? They sure are pretty tonight." Lance agreed with an unbelieving tone, "I can do that too- but I don't need a bunch of computers to do that. Where did you even get this stuff? Doesn't look like Garrison tech."

Pidge smirked proudly, "I built it."  
'You built all this?" Pidge smacked Hunk's hand away when he reached for it.

"Stop it. With this thing I can scan all the way to the edge of the Solar System."

"That right?" Lance whistled, "All the way to Kerberos?" Pidge flinched a bit, startled that he would ask. Lance was quick to catch on the action, "You go ballistic every time the instructors bring it up. What's the deal?"

"Nothing- I don't have a deal."

"Yes, yes you do."

"Well- you always clam up when we decide to go to town." Pidge pointed out.

"You all know why I am that way," Lance folded his arms casually, "That is old news. This-" he motioned to the tech, "This is weird."  
Instead of answering, Pidge snapped at Hunk for touching their equipment, "Second warning, Hunk.'

"Look Pidge, if we are going to bond as a team we can't have any secrets," Lance says.

Slouching a big, Pidge sighed, "Fine. The world as we know it is about to change. The Kerberos mission wasn't lost because of some malfunction or some crew mistake- STOP TOUCHING MY EQUIPMENT!" they exploded at Hunk.

Pouting, Hunk rolled to his side.

"Geez…" Pidge took a few calming breaths, "I've been scanning the system and picking up Alien radio chatter."

'Whoa." Hunk sat up, "What? Aliens?"

"Okay, so you're insane." Lance concluded, "Got it. Continue."

"I'm serious." Pidge huffed, "They keep repeating one word; _Voltron_." he held up a small book with multiple doodles and the name writing in bold letters, "And tonight, it is going crazier than I have ever heard it."

"How crazy?" before Pidge could answer Lance's question, the speaker went off.

" _Attention students, this is not a drill. We are on lock down, security situation Zolunynor. All students are to remain in barracks until further notice."_

"What's going on?' Hunk frowned, then pointed to the sky in a panic, "Is that a meteor?" he gasped. "A very, very big, meteor?"

"It's a ship!' Pidge exclaimed when he pulled out his binoculars.

"Holy crow!" Lance snatched them away, "I can't believe what I am seeing! That is definitely not one of ours!"

Pidge gawks in awe, "No. It is one of _theirs!"_

"So wait, there really are aliens out there?' Hunk gulped as they turned their heads to follow the descent of the ship, watching closely as it crashed a good couple miles away from Garrison. Below them, large vehicles burst to life as Garrison soldiers piled in, heading out to the crash site.

"Aliens… Aliens! Aliens, aliens, Hunk! Aliens!" Lance was bouncing wildly, grabbing Pidge's arm and making him bounce too. This was too crazy to be true, but it was awesome! It was an adventure of the great beyond!

Pidge grinned, "We have to check out that ship!" he insisted.

"I'm with ya! Hunk come on!' Lance cackled.

"I- but-!" he sighed, "Worst team building exercise ever…"

* * *

 **0000-0000-0000**

By the time they were able to hike their way out there Garrison had already managed to make a small enclosed site to investigate the ship and anyone they found within. Making sure to stay a decent distance away without being seen, the laid flat on the ground and watched through binoculars.

"This is crazy…" Lance whispered. Spotting the ship, he said, "Whoa, what the heck is that thing?" he focused in on the ship, noticing soldiers constantly moving in and out of the site.

He paused when the view passed over a beautiful woman. He almost missed the days where he would see someone hot and instantly start flirting. Not that it was a good habit, but at least it meant that Lance was looking for a connection with someone… Now, even if he tried to force it, it wouldn't feel the same. "Well never get past those guys to get a look," he announced.

"Oh no." Hunk faked a sad sigh, "I guess there is nothing else to do but head back to the barracks, right?"

"Wait, they set up a camera in there and I grabbed its feed," Pidge announced, moving the computer towards them. Squishing together, they watched in awe as the screen came to life and they were able to peek inside the tent.

There were a few people in hazmat suits surrounding a metal table where an adult male was strapped too. He wore torn purple clothes and was screaming at them, _"Hey! What are you doing?!"_

 _"Calm down, Shiro. We just need to keep you quarantined until we run some tests on you." they tried to explain._

 _Shiro pulled wildly on the restraints, "You have to listen to me!" he yelled, "They destroy worlds! Aliens are coming!"_

Lance recognized him instantly, "T-That's Shiro!" he gasped. "The pilot of the Kerberos mission! That guy is my hero! He's Ke-" Lance's words fell short. Shiro was alive. He was alive and here and someone should tell Keith.

He hated that informing Keith was the first thought that came to his brain but it wasn't like he wanted Keith to suffer or anything. Telling someone some good news should always be the go to.

"I guess he's not dead in space after all," Hunk blinked.

"But where is the rest of the crew?" Pidge frowned, looking a little upset.

 _"Do you know how long you've been gone?" one of the hazmats-wearing scientists inquired._

 _Shiro huffed, "I don't know- months. Years! Look, there's no time. Aliens are coming here for a weapon!" he exclaimed, but no one in the room seemed to overly care about his ranting, "They are coming here for a weapon! They are probably on their way! They'll destroy us! We have to find Voltron!"_

"Voltron!" they all gasped.

 _"Sir, take a look at this. It appears his arm has been replaced with a cyber-prosthetic."_

 _"Put him under until we know what that thing can do."_

 _Panicked at the suggestion, Shiro began to squirm against their grip. "No! Don't put me under! We have to find Voltron! No! Let me go!" he wasn't able to say anything else before he fell unconscious._

"They didn't ask about the rest of the crew," Pidge says.

"What are they doing?" Lance questioned, "That guy is a legend and they're not even going to listen to him?"

Pidge narrowed his eyes, "We have to get him out."

"Uh, I hate to be the voice of reason here, always, but weren't we just watching on Tv here because there was no way to get past the guards?" Hunk demanded.

Lanced rubbed his chin in thought, "That was before we were properly motivated. We just have to think. Could we tunnel in?"

"Maybe we can get some hazmat suits and sneak in like med techs?"

"Or we dress up like cooks, head back to the dorms, sneak into the commissary and have a late night snack?" Hunk wiggled his eyebrows.

Lance frowned, "No. What we need is a distraction-" A mile away, the ground began to erupt with multiple explosions.

Panicked, they leaped to their feet.  
"Is that the aliens!?" Hunk screamed, "Are they here!? They got here so quick!"

"No!" Pidge pointed forward, "Those explosions were a distraction- for him!" He motioned to a red hover bike that was moving in from the opposite side of the explosion. "The Garrison's are heading towards the blast, and he is sneaking in from the other side."

Quick to grab the binoculars, Lance found himself choking on his own spit when he recognized that red painted hover bike. It couldn't be… There is no way he would be here!

Then, he saw him.

"No way…" Lance felt his heart drop to his stomach, his mind going blank.

He was moving before his brain could catch up with his feet. Half tempted to turn and run the other direction the feeling of rage overwhelmed him and he burst into a sprint, "Oh, he is not going to beat us in there!"

"Who is it!?" Hunk demanded.

"It's Keith!"

"Who?" Pidge frowned.

Hunk gawked at him, "Are you serious?!"

"I recognize that mullet anywhere!" he roared, throwing himself over their hiding spot to storm the area.

"Keith?" Pidge questions, quick to follow. "Who is Keith!?"

"The Ex." Hunk cringed.

"Oohhh." Pidge made a similar face.

Bolting for the area, Lance shot through the entrance like a mad man on a hunt. When he got to the end of the hall, he threw open the door to find Keith already half way done with pulling the unconscious Shiro off the table.

He must have expected Lance to be another soldier when he heard them approaching and whipped around with a dangerous look in his eyes. When he realized it was Lance Keith straightened, going pale.

Lance felt as though he might have looked the same, but was quick to catch up with the situation.

Ignoring the three unconscious men at his feet, he pointed at Keith. "Oh no no, you are not saving Shiro. I am saving Shiro," he growled. Keith opened and closed his mouth, dumbfounded.

"L-Lance?"

Lance had never thought he would hear Keith calling his name again, but here they were. What was he suppose to think right now? Was he suppose to break down? Yell? Just casually nod to him?

...Yell. Yell sounds good. Go with that one.

"Yeah, me! Stop trying to steal the spotlight!" he grabbed Shiro's other arm to sling it over his shoulder. Get Shiro out. Focus on that Lance. If you focus on that you won't get caught up in the fact that Keith's style of clothes has never changed, or that he grew a little taller this year (But not by much), or how his eyes seemed to waver every time you both held eye contact.

"What are you doing here?" Keith demanded, looking around wildly. "It is dangerous here."

"I could ask you the same question!" Lance was already moving forward, "Let's go!"

"You need to get out of here." Keith told him, struggling to keep up for a few seconds, 'You'll get caught."

"Ohh- oh-hoo." Lance growled, "So you can do this but I can't?"

"I didn't say that."

"You thought it."

"Well, I'm not some Cargo pilot." Keith grumbled.

"Fighter pilot." Lance seethed the correction, "After you left I became a fighter pilot." He wasn't going to add the reasons to why he was, but the surprised look on Keith's face was oddly satisfying.

"Oh…"

Stumbling after him, the three of them slowly moved out of the Garrison tent to find Hunk and Pidge scanning the perimeter. Hunk looked on edge, eyes flipping from Keith to Lance in rapid movements, scanning for any sign that the two might self-combust or something weird like that.

"Hunk? You are here too?!" Keith gawked at him.

"...Hey Keith." he waved stiffly, sounding anything but happy.

"Uh, guys- escaping?" Pidge suggested, "Cause the Garrison are coming back and they don't look too happy."

"Right! We gotta go." Hunk agreed, moving to help lift Shiro onto Keith's hover bike. "Mind if we catch a ride with you?'

"Whatever," Keith grumbled.

Pidge yelped when Hunk leaped on, tipping the entire thing. "Sorry."

"Is this thing big enough for all of us?" Pidge paled

"No." Keith sighed heavily. Noticing the quickly approaching Garrison lights, he started the engine. Pulling back on the throttle he whipped the bike around and shot into the desert.

"Hey, we did all fit." Hunk chuckled nervously.

"Here." Lance lifted Shiro towards Pidge.

"Why do I have to hold this guy?!" he demanded.

"I'm holding him too! Stop complaining!" Lance snapped. Glancing back at the Garrison soldiers, he demanded, "Can't this thing go any faster, Mullet?"  
"We are too heavy," Keith glanced back at him, eyes flaming, "We could throw off some nonessential weight."

"Well if that is the problem then why haven't you jumped off yet?" Lance was surprised to how fast he countered.

"Oooh." Hunk covered his mouth a little.

"Are we seriously picking fights right now?' Pidge demanded.

"I'm not doing anything." Lance insisted.

"Stop talking- can you sit down?!" Keith growled, "You'll fall off standing like that!"

"Like there is any room to sit!" Lance yelled back.

"Hunk, lean left!" Keith ordered, ignoring Lance. They all shrieked as Hunk did as he was told and the entire bike shot towards the left. In an attempt to keep up a few of the cars rammed into each other.

Lance could barely watch, clinging for his life as the bike moved side to side. Unlike Hunk and Pidge who could sit on the back end of the bike, he was stuck more towards the side of the wing- clutching to anything he could to keep himself aboard.

"Oh man. Mr. Harris completely took out Mr. Montgomery…" Hunk paused. "Oh wait, no no, he's fine."

"Hunk, lean right!" Keith ordered again. "And Lance! Sit down or climb up behind me!"

"F you!" Lance screamed, "I can't sit anywhere!"

"Then climb up here!"

"Would rather take my chances here, thank you!"

"You are so immature!" Keith turned the bike right and they shot over to a ledge. Sharing a scream, they winced as the Garrison vehicles attempted to pursue, only to slam and flip against the walls of rock.

"Guys? Atututut." Hunk made a noise of panic, "Is that a cliff?" he pointed ahead.

"Yup." Keith suddenly turned to look at Lance. He felt a sense of slow motion as Keith reached for him. It startled him and he leaned back to avoid the contact, almost falling directly off the side of the bike. Keith managed to snag his wrist in time and tugged on him. Stumbling upward on the bike, Lance found himself on the back part of the Bike's front seat, directly behind Keith.

He lifted his hands upward, refusing to even let his body graze Keith's back.

"Hold on!" Keith snapped.

"Nope!"

"Lance!" screamed at him as if he were yelling at a child.

"Cliff!" Pidge started to shout. They were shooting over the edge a moment later and Lance screamed. Feeling himself lifting upwards through the fall he grabbed whatever he could- resorting to wrapping his arms and legs around Keith's waist.

"What are you doing?!" he screamed as they fell, "You're gonna kill us all!" The warmth of Keith's back was agonizingly familiar- but the fear of death was kind of overwhelming that sensation, so it was fine.

"Shut up and trust me!" Keith ordered. Pulling back on the throttle and pressing down on one of the many peddles below, the hover bike shot upwards just in time to avoid splatting against the ground.

Everyone was shrieking for at least a couple more seconds even after death was narrowly avoided, slow and awkward laughter ensuing.

"Crazy~" Pidge huffed heavily.

"You- You are crazy…" Lance agreed, pulling his arms away from Keith and scooting back as far as he possibly could.

"I've been told." Keith gave him a quick look over his shoulder. "You okay?"

Lance looked away, agitated, "Don't talk to me."

5 minutes later they were speeding up to some old looking shack. Turning the hover bike to a stop, Keith sighed. "We're here-" he grunted when Lance shoved his back, wasting no time to get off.

"You guys okay?" he asked Hunk and Pidge.

"Feel like I'm gonna be sick… but alive." Hunk nodded.

"I'm good." Pidge agreed, "I think he is too." he glanced down at Shiro.

"We should get him inside," Lance says, moving to help gently lower Shiro from the bike. Carrying him inside, they allowed him to rest on the couch within. From what Lance could tell through the food, books, and casual living supplies scattered the room, Keith had been living here.

Were they maybe 10 or 15 miles from Garrison? That short of a distant is where Keith had been all this time.

Not willing to dawdle on that, he stretched his arm, "Well… crazy night, right?"

"Crazy does not even begin to describe this." Hunk held his head.

"At least we managed to get Shiro out of there. Maybe not he can answer our questions." Pidge says.

Yeah-" Hunk collapsed into a chair, his legs shaking, "I'm beat."

When Keith entered, all eyes in the room fell on him. Lance couldn't stare for long and had to look away. "If any of you are hungry, I can get you something."

"I don't think I can eat right now," Pidge admits.

"I would take some- but I don't think I could keep down any food you gave me Keith," Hunk says, uncharacteristically hostile. It was startling to Pidge, but at the same time, they felt they understood why Hunk was acting this way.

"…Okay then." Keith retreated down the hall to fetch something.

"I need some air…" Lance retreated to the door. Slinking out, he closed the door behind him and stood there for a few seconds. Gulping down whatever air he could, he walked a few times around the shack, trying to wrap his head around everything.

Shiro had come crashing down like an angel from the sky in an alien ship. They did a break and rescue to get him out of Garrison's hands, amost dying in the process. And Keith was only a short distance away from him.

Out of those three, what was the proper thing to freak out about the most? Because personally he choose Keith, but everyone else would probably choose one of the other two, right?

Probably.

He wished this wasn't bothering Hunk so much… Hunk was supposed to be the always kind and happy one- seeing him so malicious towards Keith felt unreal. He appreciated the support, but he also worried that he was causing Hunk to feel all that anger.

…Though he would totally feel the same if anyone broke Hunk's heart. He'd never forgive the person. That's how friends were, right?

Chuckling a bit to himself, feeling lighter, he circled the shack once more, sitting down to watch nightfall slowly drawing to an end. The sun would be rising soon. Inside, the shack was quiet. The familiar sound of Hunk snoring was slowly filtering its way towards him.

Glad the others were able to fall asleep, or they just passed out from exhaustion, he leaned back, letting out a heavy breath, watching it billow up towards the stars.

"Hey."

He didn't have to turn around to recognize the owner of that deep voice as Keith's. He was standing there, a mug outstretched towards him. "Though you might be thirsty," he said in a tone that was the very definition of awkward.

Lance was, but he wasn't willing to tell Keith that. "What is it?" he scowled.

"Hot chocolate… it's cold." Keith looked away. When lance didn't move to take it, he started to retract his hand but stopped when Lance snagged it from his fingers tips.

"…Thanks." Taking delicate sips, he sighed at the warmth spreading through him. The situation felt nostalgic- both of them alone, staring up at the stars. Of course, the world nostalgic would mean that Lance happily recalls that time- which he didn't.

"So…" he drawled out carefully, "This is where you have been." He couldn't hide the growing resentment in his tone.

Keith tensed, "Yeah."

"Seems nice. Quiet. Secluded." Lance listed casually. "Must get a nice view of the sun rising- You might even see Garrison if you really squint."

Keith nodded slowly.

"…" Lance took a heavy sip of his drink.

"What were you all doing out there?" Keith asked.

"Saw the ship- got curious, went to check it out. Unlike you, who had explosions placed and ran in there with this full on plan- what were you doing there, Keith?" he narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"... It is a long story."

"Would hate to hear it."

"Then I... won't say it."

"Good."

There was a long silence. Lance was ready to get up and go try and get some sleep, but Keith's gaze caught him off guard.

"You- uh… You look great." he offered.

"Oh god…" Lance turned away, choking on the hot chocolate, "Don't do that."

Keith was startled, "W-What?" he demanded. If movies, books, or personal experience had taught him anything, it was common to compliment your ex after a long span of not seeing them.

In movies you would see it all the time- the protagonists broke up at some point in the movie or before it and meet up once again. They compliment each other, both chipper and almost fond to see the other. This would usually lead to them having a date or some how ending back together in the end.

Granted Keith wasn't exactly chipper when he said that, and lance was far from overjoyed to see his ex once again- but Lance felt as though Keith had meant that just now.

"This- This right here." Lance motioned up and down, "Don't try to act casual with me Keith. Don't compliment me. Just- don't talk to me."

"Lance…"

Lance walked away. He didn't know what he was feeling right now- but he hated it. It gnawed on the pits of his stomach, eating away slowly the more and more he would look at Keith.

And the thing that bugged him the most- the real kick in the ass of this whole day… He thought Keith looked great too.


	6. Rise of Voltron 1

"Don't eat my Waffles!" Hunk roared with a scream. Startling Lance and Pidge, they leaped upward, glaring at him. "…Sorry."

"I suppose you could call that a wake-up call," Pidge grumbled. Noticing Keith lifting himself from the ground at the bottom of the couch where Shiro was resting, he rubbed at his eyes.

Glancing at the time, they all froze when a 5th groan echoed in the room.

"…Waffles? I haven't had those in forever…" Shiro was awake and blinking at them with puzzled eyes, "…Keith?"

"Shiro-" Keith leaped towards him, "Shiro!" he was gripping his shoulders, struggling for several seconds to find the words he wanted to say. "You- I- Alive! You're alive!" he shook Shiro a little, making the man grunt.

"Yes… Yes, I am." He nodded wearily, "Where am I?"

"You're safe," Keith assured him. Then he hugged him, "You're safe."

"…" Slowly smiling, Shiro patted Keith's back reassuringly. "I'm back." Noticing Lance and the others he gave them a puzzled but happy smile, "Hey."

Lance nodded back.

Pulling away, Keith was quick to hand Shiro a change of clothes. Besides being shocked that he was there and received a hug from Keith- which would have been touching if Lance didn't feel anything but resentment for the Mullet guy, Shiro didn't say much.

In fact, as soon as he was changed, he rushed outside to look out at the sky- maybe to prove to himself that he was really here. Keith eventually went and joined him.

"It's good to have you back." he placed an arm on Shiro's shoulder. Smiling weakly, Shiro nodded.

"It's good to be back."

"So what happened out there? Where… were you?"

Shiro sighed, "I wish I could tell you. My brains still pretty scrambled… I was on an alien ship, somehow I escaped. It is all a blur. I'm honestly just relieved to be back. You don't know how relieved I am to see you, Keith."

Keith smiled a bit, "The feeling is mutual."

"It's good to see Lance too. How have you two been?" Shiro inquired. Keith stepped back a little and looked away. That's right... Shiro wasn't here for-

"We um… it's complicated. Honestly, I haven't talked to him in over a few months." Keith says slowly. "Practically a year."

The look of pure shock was a bizarre expression for Shiro to have, "What? How come? You two were-" he motioned to the shack, utterly confused, "You all saved me tonight, didn't you?"

"We did." Keith nod, "But I wasn't expecting Lance to be there. I was hardly expecting you to be there."

"How… How did you all know to come save me when I crashed anyway?" Shiro inquired.

"...You should come see this." Keith motioned for him to follow. When they entered the Cabin, Keith moved to the large board on the wall, removing the cloak that hid it contents.

"What have you been working on?" Shiro gawked at the elaborate board of data and pictures.

"I can't explain it really." Keith admitted, "After getting booted from the Garrison I was kind of… lost and found myself drawn out to this place."

"You were booted from Garrison?" Shiro gasped. Keith tensed for a moment and slowly nodded.

"I uh- disciplinary issues." he said through tight teeth.

Shiro slouched a bit, "Keith." he sighed.

"Things were tough… Either way, it happened and I can't change that. So I came out here to look for something."

"Why out here of all places?" Pidge inquired.

"It's like something- some energy was telling me to search."

"For what?" Shiro asked.

"Well, I didn't really know at the time. But then I stumbled across this area." he motioned to a circle spot on the map. "It's an outcropping of giant boulders with caves, covered in these ancient markings. Each tells a slightly different story about a blue lion. But they all share clues leading to some event- some arrival happening last night. Then you showed up."

Glancing back at the others, Shiro smiled, "I should thank you all for getting me out. It is good to see you, Lance." he held out his hand.

Taking only a split second to glance at Shiro's new arm, Lance shook it, "It is good to see you again too."

When he looked at Hunk, he seemed only able to look at the ground. "The nervous guy is Hunk, I'm Pidge," he explained, shaking his hand instead. "So, did anyone else in your crew make it out?"

"I'm not sure. I remember the mission and being captured. After that, it is just bits and pieces."  
"Yeah." Hunk nodded nervously, "Sorry to interrupt but uh- aliens? Where are they now? Are they coming? Are they coming for all of us? Where are they right now?"

Unable to answer any of his questions, Shiro sighed, "I can't really put it together. I remember the word _Voltron. I_ t's some kind of weapon they are looking for but I don't know why. Whatever it is, I think we need to find it before they do."

Nodding in understanding, Hunk began to rummaged through a backpack, "Well, last night I was rummaging through Pidge's stuff and I found this picture- Look it's his girlfriend." he held it up. Pidge gasped, snatching it away.

"Give me that! What were you doing with my stuff?"  
"I was looking for a candy bar." Hunk explains, "But then I started reading his diary-" he held up said diary to prove his statement.

"What?!" Pidge made a grab for it.

Ignoring him, Hunk began to explain, "I noticed the repeating series of numbers the aliens are looking for looks a lot like a Fraunhofer line."

"Frown-who?" Keith folded his arms.

Narrowing his eyes a bit, Hunk turned to him, "It's a number describing the emission spectrum of an element. Only this time, this element doesn't exist on Earth. With that said, it might be this Voltron thing. I might be able to build a machine to look for it, kind of like a Voltron Geiger counter."

Lance was grinning ear to ear by the time he was done, "Hunk you big gassy genius!"

Hunk grinned back, "It's pretty fascinating really. The wavelength looks like this." pulling out a piece of paper he was drawing earlier, he held it up to everyone.

"Let me see that-" Keith moved to grab it.

Hunk slapped his hand away, "Whoa, Mr. Grouch." he frowned. "No touchy. No touch."

"I just need to see it." Keith huffed.

"Then you ask politely."  
"Are you serious?" Keith groaned, " _Please."_

 _"_ That felt like an aggressive request." Pidge pointed out. Hunk pointed to him, nodding.

"...Please." Keith said again. Ripping it out of Hunk's fingers when he extended his arm out, he brought the paper to one of the pictures he had taken of a few chunks of rocks out in the canyon.

The wavelength seemed to outline the area perfectly. Shocked at this- everyone shared some looks.

"Well- I guess we know where to start looking." Shiro folded his arms.

"Great! I'll get started on the Voltron Geiger counter now!" Hunk chipped. Pausing, his eyebrows furrowing, he slowly turned to Keith. When he didn't say anything, Keith frowned.

"What?"

"I need to borrow supplies." Hunk said simply.

"Oh uh…" Keith shuffled to the side; motioning to a few spare parts lying on the tables, "Go ahead."

Hunk didn't thank him and pushed past him, roughly bumping into his shoulder. Almost falling over, Keith's eyes flared from the challenge, but he stilled when he could feel Shiro watching him.

"Is there something I should know?" Shiro inquired. "Because I feel a lot of… tension in this room. If it is about me or- if I am making anyone uncomfortable…"

"No." Lance insisted, "It isn't you Shiro, trust me. A lot of stuff has just happened this last year."

"I...see." he nodded slowly. "Well- if you need any help Hunk, just give me a call."

"Will do."

Three hours later they were all piled onto Keith's bike once again and heading to the site. Since Lance refused to sit behind Keith, he took the trip at a slower pace.

The utter silence had Shiro considering trying to lighten the mood- but what could he say? He has been gone for a year. Perhaps he should try and say a joke? He wasn't really one for jokes, but one could always try something new.

…Would jokes from a year ago still be funny? Most jokes are eternally universal, so he supposed so. "…" Opening his mouth, he felt almost painful that he was even trying this.

He decided against it in the end, perking up with relief when they finally arrived at the location Keith had taken that picture. Hopping off, the gawk at the pillars of rocks.

Being there felt… odd. None of them could explain it but they felt something.

"Okay-" Lance was the first to speak, "I admit it, this is super freaky."

Hunk moved past him, eyeing the little device in his hands with solemn determination, "I'm getting a reading." he tugged on Pidge to follow him, motioning for them to hold the satellite up as far as his small arms could allow him.

Following behind him, depending on Hunk to guide their way, Lance could feel a pair of eyes on him from behind. Keith was staring at him…

Snapping his gaze behind his shoulder, the angry glare Lance gave Keith seemed to startle him and he looked away, kind- of-whistling awkwardly.

Lance says _kind of_ because even when they were dating, Keith couldn't whistle to save his life. Lance had thought it was adorable then, watching quietly as Keith tried over and over to whistle, only to make some airy breath.

A year later, and that airy breath was still around. Lance didn't find it cute this time.

"Lance! Up here!' Hunk had managed to scale up a slight incline of rock and was waving wildly to him. Running to catch up, he followed where Hunk was pointing.

A cave.

Moving into the cave, all of them couldn't help at gawk at the carving lined walls, feeling as though they had stepped into some sort of movie.

"What are these?" Shiro asked.

"These are the lion markings I mentioned," Keith says. "They are everywhere around here."

Moving towards one of the walls, Lance reached out towards it, brushing away a bit of dirt to get a better look at the engraving. As soon as his palm brushed the surface, the wall began to glow a light blue. Shocked, he stumbled back into the others.

"They've… never done that before." Keith stammered. Looking down when a circle of blue appeared below them, he tensed when the ground began to shift, cracking at their feet. "Lance!" he reached out to grab his arm just as they fell.

Sharing a scream, none of them could stop their decent, shooting down some sort of water shaft into a small pool below. Landing hard, Lance grunted. Welp- that should teach him; never touch creepy engravings in cave walls.

"Ow-" he glanced at his wrist at the feeling of pressure upon it. Realizing Keith was still gripping it, he growled at him and yanked it away. Clutching the spot Keith touched firmly, Lance rubbed at it- as if doing so would get the warmth of Keith's touch to evaporate.

"Don't touch me." he ordered.

"I was just-"  
"I said don't, Keith!" he warned, jumping to his feet and pushed past him. His anger didn't last when he lifted his gaze to view a giant metal cat robot seated with a bubble of energy in front of it. "Uh…."

"Giant kitty cat." Hunk gasped.

"Is this it?" Pidge asked weakly, "Is this the Voltron?"

"It must be," Shiro says.

"This is what's been causing all this crazy energy out here," Keith concluded. Moving forward, he reached his hand out to the bubble that surrounded the machine, "Looks like there is a force field around it."

Moving forward, Lance felt uneasy as he stared at the lion's eyes, "Anyone else get the feeling that this is staring at them?"

Shiro frowned, "No."  
'Yeah, it is totally staring at me. Its eyes are following me." Lance says, moving from side to side to prove it. It totally was.

Pausing when they got close enough to the force field, they stood in silence, no one knowing what to do.

"I wonder how we get through this?" Keith examined the force field with narrowed eyes.

Lance approached the bubble, tilting his head. "Maybe you just have to knock?' he suggested. He didn't expect the offer to work, but still did it. To his surprise, knocking works, and the bubble began to disappear after a flash of light.

Once it was gone, the ground began to glow below them again and they could see it.

5 lions were coming together to form one large robot: Voltron.

It was unlike anything they had ever seen.

"Whoa…" Lance could hardly believe it, "Did everyone just see that?"

"Voltron is a robot!" Hunk exclaimed, "Voltron is huge, huge awesome robot!" he looked ready to cry.

"And this is just one part of it! I wonder where the rest of them are?" Pidge narrowed their eyes.

"This is what they are looking for," Shiro says,

"Incredible." Keith shakes his head. He was on guard when the robot suddenly began to move, lowering its head to them. They all half expected it to eat them or something and stepped back at its approach.

Except for Lance. He didn't move- not even to flinch away. Something about it felt as though he had nothing to fear from this beast- it was almost like- Well, as strange as it sounded, Lance felt at home.

Like he was seeing an old friend.

When the lion lowered, it's mouth opened and a platform extended out to Lance's feet. It was welcoming him.

Blinking wildly, Keith could see the smirk slowly spreading across Lance's face. "Lance, don't just walk in-"

"Walking in." he sang, running up the platform. Keith sighed and followed. Once inside, Lance curiously explored the machine, shocked to find a control room within the next area. Hesitant for only a moment, he sat down on the chair and crossed his leg. "Here we go."

This… was awesome.

He shrieked when the chair suddenly shot him forward, farther into the room, "Ow." he was in awe to find holographic controls appeared before him. Everyone was equally impressed when the eyes of the lion turn on and they could see the cave. "Very nice!"

"Okay, guys. I f-feel the need to point out, just so we're all, you know, aware: we are in some kind of futuristic alien cat head right now." Hunk explains.

"And it is awesome-" Lance was startled when a… voice, began to speak to him. It spoke of the controls, feeding him mental images on how to start up the lion and get it flying.

Shocked to have so much information sudden fed to him, he leaned back in shock, "Jeez!"

"What?" the others asked.

"Y-You… you didn't hear that just now?"

"Hear what?" Keith frowned.

"The voice! I- I think the lion is talking to me." he stammered, leaning forward to the controls. Mimicking what he saw in the vision, the lion suddenly began to move. His companions were dumbfounded he was able to move it so easily.  
"How are you doing this?" Pidge gasped.

"I don't really know," Lance tells him, two controls appearing at his hands. More images shot through his head- instructions on how fly and pilot this amazing machine. Whatever it was- it was trusting him.

Lance couldn't help but trust it back.

Taking a hold of them, Lance smirked a bit, "Okay, got it!" he nods, "Let's try this!" Throwing the controls forward, Lance wasn't expecting the pure power the Lion would have and they shot out from the cave and into the sky. Lance barely moved the controls and they were suddenly spinning, shooting through the air faster than any plane he had ever been in before.

The others were clinging to him desperately, screaming for their lives.

'You are the worst. Pilot. Ever!" Keith exclaimed, his forehead pressed to Lance's in an attempt to keep his balance. Lance almost head-butted him away, but the full power the lion had was causing his hand to shake on the controls- he wasn't in full in control of this thing!

Hitting the ground, the Lion began to run across the floor, fast and strong. "Isn't this awesome!" Lance cheered.  
"Make it stop! Make it stop!" Hunk pleaded, looking pale.

"I'm not making it do anything! It's like it's on autopilot!" Lance explained to his airsick friend. Suddenly, the lion shot into the air, quickly gaining altitude with each passing second.

"Where are you going?!" Keith demanded.

"I just said it's on auto pilot!" Lance grouched at him then paused, "...The Lion said there is a ship approaching Earth. I… I think we are supposed to stop it!"

Pidge grabbed his arm, "What did it say exactly?" he growled.

"Well it isn't like it is talking- more of feeding images into my brain. Kind of." He explained irritably. "I don't know how to explain it-"

"Well if this is the weapon they are coming for, why don't we just- I don't know- give it to them? Maybe they will leave us alone?" Hunk suggested. "Sorry Lion, nothing personal."

Shiro shook his head, "You don't understand, these monsters spread like a plague throughout the galaxy, destroying everything in their path. There is no bargaining with me. They won't stop till everything is dead."

Hunk paled, "Oh…. Never mind then."

Lance exhaled when the exited Earth's atmosphere. "Hunk, Pidge…" he says.

"Yeah?" they ask shakily, scanning around wildly for these supposed alien ships.

"We're in space."

They straighten, only just realizing that fact themselves. Sharing a few looks, nothing could stop their grins. "This is awesome!" Hunk cackled. A second later, a horrendously large purple luminescent ship appeared before them. "...Less awesome." he paled. "Holy crow-" he turned to Shiro for answers, "Is that really an alien ship?!"

Shiro blinked aimlessly at it before mumbling, "They found me."

"Well, they're not getting you back," Keith growled.  
"Got that right." Lance agreed, turning the controls to the right when lasers began to shot from the enemy ship.

"We gotta get the lion out of here!" Pidge exclaimed.

"Hang on!" Lance commanded. Avoiding the bullets wildly, he turned towards the edge of the alien ship, "I think I know what to do!"

"Careful man, this isn't a simulator!" Pidge snapped.

Lance couldn't help but chuckle, "Well that's good. I always wreck the simulator." Shiro gave him a pale look when he said that. "Here we go~" he sang. With skills he hadn't realized he had, he used both the lasers and claws of this amazing machine to attack the ship, causing several sections to explode.

"Way to go Lance!" Shiro cheered.

Pride welling inside of him, Lance chuckled, "Let's get these guys away from our planet." He turned the lion around and shot into space. It didn't take long for the ship to start following.

"They're gaining on us," Pidge announced.

"But they aren't attacking- just following." Lance pointed out.  
"Still not good news!" Hunk trailed off as they began to pass a familiar looking moon. "Is that-?"

"Edge of the solar system- that's Kerberos," Shiro confirmed.

"It takes months for our ships to get out here- we got out here in 5 seconds!" Pidge gasped. Jumping in shock, Lance almost yanked back on the controls when something suddenly appeared in front of them.

Was it some sort of- portal? Like a black hole! He could feel the lion edging him towards it.

"This may sound crazy- but I think the Lion wants us to go through there," Lance announced. They shared a few unbelieving looks at the request, no one knowing what to say.

"Where does it go?" Pidge asked softly.

"I… I don't know. Shiro… you are the commanding officer here. What do we do?"

"Whatever is happening, the Lion knows more than we do. I say we trust it- but we're a team now. We should decide together."

"I want to go," Lance admitted. He glanced at Hunk, who seemed hesitant. Finally, he sighed.

"I've followed you through every other crazy adventure so far. What's one more to the list?"

"I like that spirit." Lance grinned. He paused when Pidge put their hand on his arm. Sharing a silent nod, he looked back at the tunnel-He didn't care with Keith wanted, he was going for this! "Guess we're ditching class tomorrow."

With that, they entered the black hole, or wormhole, or whatever it was. It shot them forward at amazing speed, tossing them out in front of some other planet. Stunned at whatever happened, Lance let out a small breath. "Whoa- that was-"

Hunk threw up next to him, "…So sorry."

"I'm just surprised it took so long." Pidge sighed.

"There there buddy." Lance patted his back.

"I don't recognize these constellations," Shiro said breathlessly. "We must be a long long way from our planet."

"I guess." Lance agreed, "Wherever we are, the lion seems to want to go to this planet." The feeling he got felt familiar- he had felt this the whole time he had been at Garrison. A longing to go home and see his family. "I think… I think the lion is going home." Shooting down towards the planet, everyone leaned towards him as they drastically dropped altitude. "Personal space guys!" he grumbled when he smelled something along the lines of shampoo. He liked this smell. Focusing in on the scent, he shrieked when he realized it was Keith's hair.

"What?" the others panicked, thinking something was wrong.

"Uh- we uh- nothing. We're good." Lance stammered.

"That aside- is anyone else seriously having second thoughts about jumping through a wormhole? Why are we listening to a robotic lion anyway?" Hunk demanded.

Lance huffed at him, "We are already here, it is too late. And it got us away from that alien warship, didn't it?"

"I don't know if you noticed, but we're in an alien warship," Keith announced. Lance gave him a nasty look over his shoulder.

"I trust it." He grumbled, "It- It isn't just a ship. I can feel it. But if you are scared Keith, that is okay. Acceptance is an important step in getting through situations like this."

"With you at the helm- I'm terrified." Keith narrowed his eyes. Lance almost got out of his chair to clobber him, but Shiro put his arm out.

"Alright, knock it off. No one is happy about this situation but we are here now. If we want to get through this we need to do this together."

"So what do we do?" Pidge questioned.

"We find out where we're headed. Lance?"

"I-" he shrugged, "I don't know. Sorry, the Lion isn't talking-" he paused, "Wait." He could see something suddenly. A castle of some kind? Turning the controls in that direction, he smiled, "That." He announced.

Everyone turned their heads, amazed when the large white structure came into view. It was beautiful. As they landed, Shiro straightened, "Keep your guard up. My crew was captured by aliens once, I'm not gonna let that happen again."

With that, they exited the ship and approached the gates. Lance almost jumped out of his skin when his lion began to move. Hunk was screaming in terror, halting when the Lion roared and the doors began to open.

This definitely had to be its house or something.

It's…small human sized house with human-sized steps….

That also had weird scanning things that scanned their bodies and came to life, leading them through corridors to this wide room.

"Where are we?" Hunk gawked at the room, circling in slowly to gather his barring's.

"It's-" Pidge scanned over the panel in front of them, "Some sort of control room." The panel came to life. With it, two pod-like structures began to push up from the ground. It was hard to fully look inside, but Lance could definitely make out forms of people within the pods.

Hunk was pale and quivering behind the panel, "Are these guys… dead?" As if to answer his question, the pod suddenly began to open, revealing a woman in a dress within.

She opened her eyes with a gasp.

"Father!" the woman exclaimed as she fell from the chamber. Being the closest to it, Lance extended out his hands, barely able to catch her in times. Tensing when the woman realized she had fallen into someone, she looked up at him with wide blue eyes.

She was beautiful.

Feeling a little flustered at her intense gaze, he panicked when she asked who he was.

"Uh… Lance…. hi."

"Where am I?" she scanned around the room, eyes narrowed.

"Uh….." he squinted his eyes and looked around, "A… room, in a big ancient building?" he offered.

"Your ears." the woman said. Feeling tempted to reach up and cover them, often told by his Aunt that he had large ears, he frowned.

"What about them?"

"They're… hideous. What is wrong with them?"

Lance gasped at the insult, "Nothing is wrong with them! They heard exactly what you said-" the woman suddenly grabbed his arm, turning him. Using his ear, she tugged on it and brought him to his knees. He shrieked at the sensation. "Ow! OW!"

"Hey!" Keith moved forward. Sensing the danger in his gaze, the woman tightened her grip on Lance, aiming her elbow at his skull- threatening head trauma. She was using him as a warning for Keith to back off. Keith's feet fell cold- eyes darkening, his silent expression warning her that if any harm can to him- she would feel his wrath.

"Who are you?! Where is King Alford? What are you doing in my castle?" she demanded.

"Like I already said, I'm Lance! We were brought here by a blue lion! That is all we know!" He sighed when her steel grip released. Scrambling away, he clutched at his ear.

"How do you have the blue lion?" She demanded, stepping back, "What happened to its Paladin? What are you all doing here?"

"You okay?' Keith asked.

"Don't need your pity party," Lance grumbled.

"I wasn't-

"Answer my question!' the woman interrupted them. She froze, "Unless..." when her gaze fell to Shiro, he straightened. "How long has it been?"

"We don't know what you are talking about." he said honestly, "Why don't you tell us who you are- maybe we can help?"

Taking a deep breath, she straightened her back, "I am Princess Allura of Planet Altea." she proclaimed, moving past them to the panel, "I have to find out where we are and how long we've been asleep." Placing her hands on the panel, Pidge's jaw dropped when the screen simply lifted upward, revealing several lines of information.  
"Okay." they nodded numbly, "And that is how that works."

As Allura typed on the panel, they all noticed the second pod beginning to open. The man took a second to take in his surroundings until his spotted Lance, gasping in shock.

The man shrieked, "Enemy Combatants!" He lunged at Lance. Sidestepping to the left, Lance watched curiously as the man shot next to him. He seemed similar to Allura with the pointed ears and markings on his face, but he seemed older, bearing bright orange hair and a matching beard. Landing, he stumbled, almost falling over and needing to use the pod as support, "Quiznack." he sighed.

Allura gave the man a brief look over then sighed, looking back at the panel.

"Uh…" Lance held up a hand.

The man turned to him, eyes flaring with a challenge, "You're lucky I have a case of the old sleep chamber knees. Otherwise, I'd grab your head like this- wrap you up like so and 1, 2, 3, sleepy time." he snapped his fingers confidently.

Lance folded his arms, liking this man's upbeat personality, "Well before you'd do that I would-" he struck a few fighting poses, "Like that." he played along with this silly little game they seemed to be playing.

The man's eyes sparked, huffing indignantly, "Oh really? Well how could you do that when I've already come at you with this- hihihihhihiiiiii!" he jabbed wildly towards Lance.

Keith, who had been on guard when the men leaped at Lance, slouched his shoulders at the antics playing before him. He couldn't help but sigh.

"I'd block it with one of these- then do this!" Lance countered.

"You would think so, but I've already deduced your next action and have taken you down with this!" mustache man proclaimed.

Lance was struggling to hold in his laughter, "T-Then- I'd do this." he started to wiggle his arms.

The mustache man gasped, "What sort of move is that? Some bizarre fighting style orienting from your home world?"

"...Yes." Lance nodded solemnly, "It is one of the deadliest attack moves and is actually very looked down upon in most cultures."

"And you would use it on me! Princess Allure, we are in the presence of savages!" The man cried out. Allura didn't even both to look back at him, rolling her eyes.

Laughing, Lance turned away to try and hide his snickers when mustache man turned to him. "Are you mocking me?"

"N-No…"  
"All good fun huh? You were teasing me! Well-!" his anger disappeared and he slouched a bit, "Nice to meet you Lad, I'm Coran."

"Lance." they shook hands.

"Man these guys are good." Hunk marveled at the sight. Pidge gave him a painful look.  
"How so? None of that conversation made any sense."

"It can't be…" Allure's voice broke. Sensing distress from her, Coran moved forward.

"What is it?"

"We've been asleep for 10,000 years…" she exclaimed. "Planet Altea and all of the planets in our solar system have been destroyed-" her voice dripped of anguish. "Father is gone… our entire civilization…" she grit her teeth, "Zarkon." she said as if bile was piling up in the back of her mouth.

Shiro visible shook at the name, "Zarkon…" he whispered.

"He was the King of the Galra." Allura explained, "A vile creature and enemy to all free people."

Shiro lowered his head, voice heavy, "I remember now… I was his prisoner."

"He's still alive?' Allura shook her head, "How is that possible?"

"I can't explain but its true. He is after a super weapon called Voltron."

"He is after it because he knows it is the only thing that can defeat him." she turned as if she had come to terms with something, "And that is exactly why we must find it before he does."

Sharing looks, Shiro narrowed his eyes, "We'll help anyway we can."

"Thank you." Allura nodded and turned. Returning to her work, Coran was quick to introduce himself to the rest of the group. They smiled back at him.

Straightening, he smiled, "Oh! Where are my manners? You are our guests- let me get you something to eat."  
"Food?" Hunk's eyes sparkled.

Coran ran off a second later, returning with a tray of green goo. "An Altean specialty." He announced. Hunk grimaced at the sight.

"This is…food?"

"Indeed! Princess." Coran approached her, "You must eat. It's been 10,000 years."

She turned away from it, "I'm not hungry."

"Man, 10,000? That's like 1000 plus 10." Lance marveled.

"It's times 10." Keith corrects. Lance had never been one for math, if that hadn't already been said, but having to hear Keith remind him off it made his stomach twist.

"Whatever, dropout," he growled at him. Keith narrowed his eyes back. They shared the glare for longer than Lance felt comfortable with and he turned away. There were more important things to focus on. Like this Zarkon guy- the Lions- getting home! Those should be the top priority.

"We are the last Altean's alive." Coran's words caught his attention. Lance frowned when he embraced Allura, comforting her the best he could. Losing your entire world- a thought like that had never crossed Lance's mind. It was foreign and unimaginable- but now the reality of it seemed that much greater.

When something began to squeak within the room, Allura moved to the pod she was sleeping in. She gasped, looking ready to cry as she bent down. "Looks like we're not the last after all." She lifted up a few small mice. Lance supposed that was a touching sight- though he was never a big fan of mice. But hey, the Princess was happy, that was a plus-

An alarm began to sound the screen on the panel turning red. A ship similar to the one that had chased them earlier appeared on the screen.

"A Galra ship has set its tracker to us!" Coran announced.

"How did they find us?!" Allura demanded.

"I'm not sure- but I bet it's Keith's fault." Lance shook his head. Keith turned to him, pissed.

"Say whatever you gotta say to make yourself feel better- after getting us stuck on the other side of a wormhole!"

"I'll stick you in a worm hole!" was Lance's not so brilliant response, moving towards Keith so fast they almost butted heads.

"What does that even mean?!" Keith demanded.

"It means shut up! You all agreed to go into the wormhole!" Lance yelled, "If you had a problem you should have said something!" A heavy hand fell on his shoulder

"Stow it, Cadets." Shiro stepped between them, forcing Lance back. "This is no time to place blame, it is time to work as a team."

Lifting his arms in an " _I'm done with this'_ motion, Lance stepped back. "Whatever, fine."

"How long before they arrive?" Shiro inquired.

Coran fumbled for a second, lifting his fingers as if he were counting, "At their speed? Oh well- uh… carry the two… I'd say a couple of days."

"Then let them come." Allura challenged, "By the time they get here, you 5 will have reformed Voltron and together we will destroy Zarkon's empire."

Hunk burped, blushing a bit, "Sorry, Food goo."

'Princess." Shiro stepped forward, "There are 5 of these lions. How will we find the rest?"

Smirking, Allura motioned for them to follow. Shuffling into what Lance could assume was the control room they watched Allura step up to a panel. Closing her eyes, she placed her hands upon the panels next to her. Coran explained that since Allura's life force was connected to the Lion, she could track them.

Not sure how that worked, they watched a large map of the universe spread around them. A few pictures of the lions began to appear before them.

"The black lion-" Pidge motioned to it, "It looks like it is in the same spot the blue lion is."

"Look at you primitive synapses firing away in their little brain cage." Coran teased.

"Very observant." Allura smiled, "The Black Lion is here within the castle."

"To keep the black lion out of Zarkon's hands, King Alford locked it within the castle. It can only be freed if the other four lions are present." Coran explained.

"As you have found, the Lions choose their pilots. It is a mystical bond and cannot be forced. The quintessence in the pilot is mirrored in their lion. Together, they form something greater than mere science can explain. The Black lion is the decisive head of Voltron- It will take a pilot who is a born leader and in control at all times. Someone whose men will follow without hesitation. That is why Shiro, you will pilot the black lion. The green lion has an inquisitive personality and needs a pilot of intellect and daring. Pidge you will pilot the green lion. The yellow lion is caring and kind. It is one who puts the needs of others before its own. His heart must be mighty. As the Leg of Voltron, you will lift the team up and hold them together."

Hunk looked a little shocked to hear this, pointing to himself with a weary expression. "Me?" he squeaked. Allura nodded to him.

"The red lion is temperamental and the most difficult to master." she began. How did Lance already know who this one was going to go to? "It is faster and more agile than the others, but also more unstable. Its pilot needs to be someone who relies more on instinct than skill alone- Keith, you will fly the red lion."

"Temperamental and unstable?" Lance inquired, "Yeah, that sounds about right for him. You got him spot on, Allura."

Keith gave him a sour look, which Lance ignored.

"And the blue Lion, it has already chosen you, Lance. It is one of the friendliest and most trusting lions. As the second leg of Voltron, its confidence in itself and allies hold it strong."

Feeling a little nervous to hear that, Lance nodded, "Confidence huh? Got bundles of that." he winked. Yup- endless confidence. Definitely him.

...haha.

Allura nodded, "For the time being, we will retrieve the Yellow and Green lion. I am unable to track the red Lion for unknown reasons- perhaps something is wrong with the castle. After 10,000 years, it might need some work."

"Don't worry, we'll find it soon. They don't call me the Coranic for nothing." Coran said with a smug smile. When no one laughed or understood his pun he said, "It's because it sounds like Mechanic. So… Coranic. Mechanic. It does sound- exactly like it but it's similar."  
"I get it." Lance and Hunk lifted their hands  
"Thank you, Lance, Hunk!" Coran's spirit was instantly brightened.

Suddenly, the holographic lions began to move forward, lifting upwards. Watching in awe, they were able to fully see what happened when the lions combined for Voltron appeared before them. "Once the lions are gathered, you will form Voltron. The most powerful warrior ever known- the defender of the universe."

"Awesome!" Lance chuckled.

Hunk lifted a nervous hand, "Wait, okay- we're gonna be in there and flying lions got that part. How do lions turn into legs? Also, is this going be a long trip, because I have to pee? Do you people pee?"

"We don't have much time." Shiro stepped forward, ignoring Hunk's multiple questions, "Pidge and I will go after the Green lion. Lance, you take Hunk and get the yellow one." he turned to Keith, "Keith, you stay here. If you locate that red lion; go get it."

Keith didn't look too happy for some reason. When Shiro saw him glance towards Lance's direction, he wondered if he was upset that Lance would be sent off without him. He had been very protective of him all day.

On the other hand, Lance seemed to be downright annoyed with Keith's actions, pushing him away whenever the chance represented itself.

Had they... broken up? It couldn't be.

But as Shiro stared at them, noticing the way Keith would glance at Lance longingly then turn away as if he regretted something, he knew they had. Unlike Keith however, Lance seemed desperate to have nothing to do with Keith- so while he didn't know the details, Shiro could assume the breakup wasn't a pleasant one.

It was upsetting to him, honestly. The shine Keith had in his eyes the first time he told Shiro of Lance was unforgettable. They were so happy together. Keith was so happy. The guy who seldom smiled and buried himself beneath Garrison work was finally living after Lance Mcclain came around.

Shiro could still recall text after text of Keith requiring his advice on what to say or give to Lance. The endless calls in the middle of the night, insisting it was just a call about questions of piloting only to not so subtly switch over to Lance.

What in the world happened?

Unable to ask given the situation, Shiro refocused on the task at hand.

"I'll ready you a ship to go after the Green Lion," Coran told him.

"Let's do this." Hunk and Lance high fived.

"Yeah- but can I go pee first?" Hunk pleaded. Lance sighed.  
"Fine."

"Thank you~" Hunk sprinted down the hall, desperate for his hunt for a restroom. Rolling his eyes, Lance made his way back to the front of the castle, where the Blue lion was waiting for him. He was surprised he managed to maneuver his way through this maze of a building.

Stopping to tie his shoe, Lance lifted his head, finding a pair of red sneakers in front of him. Recognized the fashion choice, since it has never changed, he narrowed his eyes and rose to his feet.

"...Keith."

He stood in front of him, arms folded and eyes narrowed in a way Lance recognized to be solemn determination, "We need to talk."

"Not interested."

"Lance, just listen-" Keith grabbed his hand.

Lance began to panic, pulling away as fast as he could. Keith wouldn't let go, and the two stumbled across the hall, "No. I don't' want to hear your excuse."

"I'm not trying to make excuses." When Keith shoved a little too hard, Lance barely had time to open his mouth and yell before he found himself slammed into the wall, pinned there. Eyes searching wildly for Keith's, the two could only stare at the other.

Lance felt like he was burning from Keith unwavering gaze. "...Let go," he said in a weak voice.

"No."

"I said let go," he repeated with a little more insistence. His hand was too warm between Keith's fingers. It was like a virus, shooting up his arm. He wanted it to stop. "Let go. Let go."

Lance was flashing back to the day of their breakup- and he wondered if Keith was too. He must have been because he released Lance like touching him hurt and stepped back. "...Sorry. I'm sorry." he said quickly, "I just- I want you to hear me out."

"Why should I?"

"Lance, please. I just want to talk."

"What is there to say, Keith? We broke up- it's over between us, end of story." Lance growled.

"I didn't- I mean I did- I'm trying here Lance."  
"Ooh, good for you. I'm so glad you are putting in an effort after an entire year." Lance snarked.

"I didn't mean for any of that to happen." Keith tried to insist, "I was upset and lost-"

"You think that makes up for what happened?" Lance shoved him. Stumbling, Keith caught himself.

"No! Of course not. I know it doesn't make up for it but I- I don't want it to end there."

"Then you shouldn't have-!" Lance cut himself off and turned his head away, "...You pushed me away Keith."

"I never wanted that."  
"It sure felt that way at the time." he moved down the hall, shoving Keith out of his way, "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a yellow lion to find."

"Lance, wait!" Keith called after him, but he was already sprinting down the hall. Gritting his teeth, Keith slammed his fist into the wall next to him, "Dammit."

When Lance arrived at the blue lion, he was surprised to see Hunk already there. "I thought you- what happened with the bathroom?"

"I already went. What were you doing? I got here before you." Hunk frowns at him.

"Oh uh-" Lance glanced over his shoulder to the castle. Feeling anxious and heavy, he licked his lips, "I got lost." he moved past Hunk and into the lion.

"Oh…"Dude, you okay?" Hunk asked as he entered.

"Peachy," Lance grumbled and sat down.

A few seconds later, after a long silence of staring, Hunk asks, "Was it, Keith?"

"...No."

"You hesitated."

"I didn't."

"So it was Keith." Hunk concluded, glancing at the castle with a dark look.

Lance didn't want the look to linger in his friend's eyes and says, "I'm over that guy."

"Being over him doesn't mean you won't remember what he did- this is the first time you've seen him since what happened. It is okay if you are bothered by it Lance, you don't have to pretend you aren't."

"Since when are you some… some-" Lance struggled for a word, "Guru?"

Hunk shrugged, "I'm not, but I know how you are."

"Yeah well… Let's just get this over with." starting the lion, they shot into the air, circling the castle repeatedly until he noticed a shuttle fly out. Realizing that was Pidge and Shiro, he followed it up and out of the planet's atmosphere.

 _"_ _We can only keep the wormholes that lead to the other lions open for two of your Earth hours, so you'll have to be quick about your work."_ Coran explained through their communication devices, " _The good news is, that according to my readings both planets are relatively peaceful. So if you do get stuck, they could be relaxing places to live out the rest of your lives! Well, enjoy the trip."_

Sharing panicked looks, Hunk and Lance began to scream, "Wait! What! You didn't tell us about this!

" _What do you mean if they get stuck!_ " Lance could hear Keith yelling from the communication device.

" _Please don't punch me!"_ Coran begged.

" _Keith! Put him down!" Allura screamed_

Of course, Keith was picking a fight about this- same old Keith.

Pushing through the wormhole, Lance didn't care much for the odd sensation of being shot through the galaxy at warp speed- despite Hunk screaming next to him.

Instead, he glanced down at his hand. It ached where Keith touched.

He ran his fingers over the spot, bringing it towards his chest.

Sighing, he shook his head. Stop. Don't start doing this to yourself, Lance. If you get caught up in the past, you won't gain anything. It'll only hurt more.

Keith isn't a cruel guy- he knew that. Lance didn't hate him. He honestly probably never did and never will. It was just easier to pretend he did rather than admit he has missed Keith so much this past year.

"...I'm fine," he whispered to himself. He could make it through this. Lowering his wrist, he ignored the warm on his wrist, staring ahead, "I'm fine."


	7. Rise of Voltron 2

Lance has never felt so sore in his life. With a groan, Hunk and him stumbled back into the castle where the others were waiting for him. They have successfully retrieved the Yellow lion, sure, but the beating they had taken in the process would leave bruises.

Shiro and Pidge didn't even look slightly exhausted! It was totally unfair.

To the side stood Keith, arms folded, gaze turned ever so slightly towards him. Lance didn't keep eye contact for long and rubbed at his neck. "Hey.."

"You made it." Allura smiled at them.

"Barely… I almost threw up out there." Lance grumbled, "I felt like Hunk."

"Imagine how I feel, I am Hunk." Hunk says. Lance can't help but laugh.

Pidge and Shiro shared little smiles, "We had a tough time too." They were both little liars, but Lance was too tired to point that out.

"Have we located the red lion yet?' Shiro asked.

"Yes, but I am afraid there is a bit of good and bad news. The good new is that the Red Lion is nearby- the bad news is that it is aboard the Galra ship hovering over Arus.…. Second good news though, we're Arus!."

"They're here already?" Shiro demanded.

"Yes. Seems my calculations were a bit off. Finger counting, it is more of an art than a science." Coran said sheepishly. Making a little noise when the communication screen revved to life behind him, they fell still when a purple man covered in fur appeared on the screen.

...Didn't sound intimidating with the way he just described that, but it definitely was.

" _Princes Allura, this is commander Sendak of the Galra Empire. I come on behalf of Emperor Zarkon, lord of the known universe. I am here to confiscate the lions. Turn them over to me or I will destroy your planet_." The transmission ended, leaving them in a horrified silence.

"Alright." Shiro said quickly, "Let's not panic."

"No panic?' Hunk demanded, "T-The scary purple alien thing is driving his battleship towards us. We only have four lions-"

"Technically only three working lions." Pidge chipped in.

"That's right." Hunk patted their back, "Thank you Pidge. Three working lions, and a castle that is like- 10,000 years old."

"Actually, it is 10,600 years old. It was built by my grandfather." Coran announced proudly.

"Thanks, Coran." Hunk hushed him, "Thank you for that. See, now this is the perfect time to panic!"

"Hunk, breath." Lance tells him gently.

Hunk is huffing, "I can't- we're doomed!"

"Breath." Lance inhales and exhales, motioning for Hunk to copy him. He does, over exxagerating each motion, using his fully body to do it.

"Wait-" Allura gasped, "This castle has a particle barrier it can activate."  
"Is that a… good thing?' Lance inquired.

Looking into it, Coran sighed, "The Particle barrier won't hold back Sendak Ion cannon forever. They must have evolved their technology since the last time we fought them."

"Panic now?' Hunk whimpered.

"No," Shiro insisted, "We just have to figure out our plan of action. And we better figure it out quickly."

Considering the odds, Lance sighed. He had never done any of this kind of stuff before, and honestly, neither has most of the people in this room. It sounded crazy to even attempt this with all 5 of the lions, having only 3 working ones made things sound worse. "We could always pop through a wormhole." he suggested, "Live to fight another day." that seemed to work out last time.

"I second that, yes." Hunk stammered, "I mean, we tried to find all the Lions, right? We gave it the old college try, couldn't do it. We only have 3 lions so we can't form Voltron." he paused, "I mean, I guess we could form a snake? Or a worm!"

Lance struggled to agree with whatever Hunk was talking about, "Yeah- sure. A worm thing sounds worth a shot. We can get the Princess and Coran out of here."

"We can't just abandon Arus." Pidge speaks up. "The Galra will continue to destroy planets and take prisoners unless we stop them.

"Okay, but if we leave this planet maybe Sendak will leave this planet and follow after us like he did Earth!" Hunk suggested. "We form the Snake thingamajig and sssssssss out of here." he moved his arm like a snake.

"Sendak could destroy the planet and then come after us anyway. Staying is our only option."

"Here is an option, shut you Quiznack." Lance turned to him, not noticing the horrified looks he was receiving from Allura and Coran.

Keith gave him a foul look, "I don't think you are using that word correctly."

"What do you know, Mullet?" Lance challenged.

"Don't pick a fight with me, Lance!"

'I'll do what I want, Keith!"

"We gotta stay!" Pidge butted in.

"Snake!" Hunk cried.

"We're staying." Keith snapped. "We aren't just abandoning this planet."

Lance felt… jealousy? Anguish? Hate? He wasn't sure what he was feeling, but he suddenly felt very sore about Keith's supposed care for this planet, "You care about this place so much, huh?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Keith growled.

"Well, it is just shocking that a guy who runs away as often as you do to suddenly care for something you only recently came to!"

"I've never run away from anything!"

"You've always run away Keith! Always!"

"When have I ever done that?!"

"You ran away from me! Or do you not remember that?" Lance could have sworn he had punched Keith by the way he stumbled back in shock. "Was it such an easy memory to forget?! Did it not matter to you at all? Huh?! Tell me, Keith!"

The red-coated male in front of him looked ready to explode, "I never forgot about you! Not for one single second!"

"Guys! Stop!" Shiro's voice boomed above all others.

Everyone froze, their breathing uneven and messy. They were just messed up in general- no one knowing what to say or do. But they managed to step back and look away long enough to Shiro to approach Allura for answers.

"Princess Allura, these are your lions and you've dealt with the Galra Empire before. You know what we're dealing with better than any of us. What do you think is the best course of action."

"I… I don't know." she admits, frightened.

Coran looked to her with gentle eyes, "Perhaps your Father can help." he offered.

"My Father?" she turned to him, not sure what he meant.

Lance could barely hear them as they discussed the situation, his ear burning, and ringing and just- he thought he was going to burst into dust. He could barely catch his breath- his heart turning on him like it always did.

At some point, Allura left the room with Coran. He didn't care. At this point, he didn't care if they left, tried to fight, or just sat here and let Sendak obliterate them like sitting ducks. At least that way he could stop feel all these horrible emotions that didn't make sense.

At least no one was trying to talk to him about what just happened. Hunk was keeping a distance, and he hoped Shiro would too. If Keith even breathed a little too heavily Lance swore he was going to jump out the closest window.

This was the worst.

After a few minutes or so, Allura appeared again. She had changed from the dress to some sort of battle armor. "You five paladins were brought here for a reason." she proclaimed with a stern tone. Straightening, Lance looked at her with wide eyes. She didn't seem like a princess anymore- but at the same time, it was clear she was. She was a leader. "The Voltron Lions are meant to be piloted by you and you alone. We must fight and keep fighting until we defeat Zarkon. It is our destiny. Voltron is the universe's only hope. WE are the universe's only hope."

Lance didn't know why but stepped forward. They all did. "We're with you, Princess."

She brought them down to a lower section within the castle. "Your suits of armor." Allura extended a hand to 5 fully body armor, each with its own color. Drawn to the blue one, feeling that was probably the correct choice since his lion was blue, he stared at it in awe.

"Boys." Shiro smirked at them, "It's time to suit up."

Yay!

...It was hard to suit up. Having never worn anything like this, Lance admits to struggling a few times to put on certain parts of the gear. He couldn't even imagine how Hunk was managing. "Dude. Dude." he tiptoed over to him, bouncing on his toes. "I can't- My arm is stuck." Finding it funny to see his friend with his hand partly sticking out where the shoulder was, Lance tried to adjust it for him.

"We might need butter." he announces.

"Or space goo." Hunk frowns.

"Wait- go it." he gave Hunk's hand a tug and it popped through. Frowning that the chest piece looked a little odd somehow, he pursed his lips, "It's backwards."  
"What?"

"You put this on backwards."  
"No…" Hunk whispered a plea.  
Lance nodded solemnly, "I'm afraid you are going to have to take it off and put it back on again."  
"Nooooooo.' Hunk sobbed.

Laughing, Lance went back to his own armor. He had managed to get everything on but his boots at this point. Hopping a bit to try and get them on, his gaze glanced over Keith from the corner of his eyes. He as already dressed and ready to go, messing with his helmet to stop his hair from getting stuck within it.

He should just get a hair cut.

Fully dressed the approached the Princess. She held out a tray towards them, pressing her palm down to open it. Strange colored devices lay inside, lifting to the air by her command.

"The Bayard is the tradition weapon for the Paladins of Voltron. It takes a distinct shape for each Paladin." the strange looking device floated near them. Taking the device into his hands, lance gasped as it formed into a gun.

Freaking out about it, he lifted it for Hunk to see, "Dude, look!"  
"I know- check out mine!" he lifted the heavy bazooka of a device, grinning like a mad man. "This is awesome! And look, we totally match."

"Gun buddies~" they high fives.

"Hunk's is more of a cannon than a gun." Pidge announces. Their weapon seemed to be more of a knife- like a katar of some kind, but Lance wasn't quite sure.

"Dude, what is that, a boomerang?" Hunk inquired.

"No." Pidge frowned after messing with it a bit.

"It's kind of cute." Lance teased. Pidge tapped it against his shoulder. Shrieking he fell over when it electrocuted him.

"Yeah." Pidge agreed smugly, "It is cute."

"Dude!' leaping to his feet, Lance made a grab for him. He was quick to shuffle away. With that, they returned to the bridge for the plan.

"You'll need to retrieve the Red Lion from Sendak's ship." Allura explained, showing them a rough outline of the ship they would be attacking.

….It was fine and whatever. Yeah, they were making a plan, Lance wasn't really worried. He just had one thing to question.

Why was Keith standing next to him? He hadn't even said anything either, he just walked up next to Lance and stood there. It bugged him. Coran was on the other side of him at least, so he was fine.

…. It really bugged him.

Inching a little to the right as casually as he could, he could feel Keith's gaze shift to him for half a second before saying, "That is a pretty big ship. How are we going to know where the red lion is?"

"It's not a matter of we, it's a matter of you." Pidge smiled at him.

Hunk nodded, "Pidge is right. One we get you in you'll be able to feel its presence and track it down. It is pretty cool."  
"Yeah, I've never felt anything like it." Pidge agreed. Keith didn't really seem to get it.

Realizing they wouldn't be able to explain to him properly, Lance says, "It is like how you felt that crazy energy back at the desert. The feeling is like that."

"You made fun of me about that." Keith frowned.

"And I will never apologize about that." he sniffed.

"Keith, remember. The red lion is extremely temperamental- you will have to earn its respect." Allura says. Nodding, Keith looked to Shiro when his hand was placed on his shoulder.

"Alright, here is our plan of attack. The Galra know we have the blue and yellow lion, but they don't know we have the green one yet. Hunk, Lance, you'll act as a decoy and pretend to give yourself up. While Sendak is distracted, Keith, Pidge and I will sneak onto the ship using the green lion. Keith and I will find the red lion while Pidge covers our exit. Hunk, Lance, find some way to take down the Ion cannon."

Sounded… simple enough.

Readying themselves for action, they were quick to get to their lions. As they walked down the halls, Lance had trailed behind a bit, messing with the cuff of his suit. It was just a little too big and kept slipping down- it was hard figuring out how to adjust it.

"The straps on the side… you have to pull it back then push it back down." Keith commented quietly as if he was trying to keep his voice to a tone that only Lance would hear.

Course Keith had to be the one to explain to him how a stupid cuffing or whatever worked, "I got it on my own," Lance bit his lip. Fixing it, he lowered his wrist, picking up the pace a little. Being alone with Keith was dangerous. Being with the group with Keith there was dangerous.

Keith, in general, was dangerous.

"...Make sure you get that Red Lion." Lance told him

"I won't leave without it." Keith assured him, "...You be careful out there."  
"Same to you." it was stiff, to the point, and almost painless. Lance could call this improvement. "Don't mess up."

Keith smirked at him- a silent promise of victory. It was confident and smug- just the way Lance remembered it. The curl of his upper lip, slightly revealing teeth below was something Lance hadn't realized he missed until that very second. God…

No. No no no no.

"... Last one there is a rotten egg!" he burst into a panicked sprint, most likely startling everyone when he pushed past them and fired down the hall like a torpedo.

"Lance!' Hunk called with a huff, "What's the rush?!"

"I'm fine. I'm fine." Lance chanted as he scrambled into the lion, stumbling into his seat and starting it up.

"Lance~" Hunk whined on the communicator, barely able to keep up with him, "Hold up a second-"

"Here we go~" he shot out of the castle like a maniac.

"Oh my god…." Hunk eventually followed after him. "Dude, take a chill pill. I get it if you are nervous about our first mission or whatever but we all are."  
"Mission? Oh… that." Lance felt the heat on his face. Why was he blushing? What the hell was this?  
These Lions didn't have face time, right? Please tell him it was just radio. He couldn't take it if Hunk was able to see his face right now. "Yeah, Missions are cool. Here we go. Off to defeat Galron."

"Galra."

"What I meant."

"...Okay then dude, you are weirding me out." Hunk says and they shoot out of the atmosphere.

"I'm fine. Just gotta- focus." shaking his head a few times, he took a few large breaths. "Let's do this."

"Right behind ya, buddy."  
Moving slowly towards the Galra ship in front of them, Lance got onto his comms to radio the ship, "Attention Galra ship, do not fire. We are surrendering our lions." waiting for Sendak's approving nod he cut off the transmission, "Hope this work." he whispers. "Pidge, what is your ETA?" Lance inquired as some sort of door opened in front of them on the Galra ship.

" _We're in."_ they say back. Smiling at how the plan was going so far, Lance felt his stomach tighten when an odd purple light began to glow from the ship.

"What is that thing?" Hunk panicked. The light began to grow bigger and bigger and Lance was quick to realize something wasn't right.

"I think that is our signal to get out of here." dodging to the sides, the two watched a large beam shoot past them. It seemed like a tractor beam of some kind. Seconds later, realizing their trick, Fighters began to pour out from the Galra ship.

"Hunk, you dismantle the Ion cannon while I take care of these jerks." Lance smirked.  
"Ten-four good buddy." Hunk chuckled.

Shooting forward, Lance had never had so much fun flying in all his life. Granted, it was filled with the risk of death, but the lion moved so fast these guys couldn't get a dent on him! It was awesome!

It took a bit, but after some time Hunk was able to take down the shield covering the Ion cannon, slamming into it to leave a large dent. When it was done, both Keith and Pidge flew out from beneath the ship. "You guys made it!" he cheered.  
"Kitty Rose has left the building." Pidge cackled.

"Let's get the heck out of here." Lance says, shooting down back towards the planet.

"I hope I took care of that canon…" Hunk grumbled as they made their descent, "I could barely make a dent."  
When they returned to the castle, they moved into the loading bay. Seating their lions together, they sat in a stilled silence. Shiro has stepped out to welcome the lion when it awoke… if it awoke.

It didn't take long for the lions to seemingly connect, opening the large door in front of them. They could hardly believe their eyes when the black lion appeared before them. Lance had thought Hunk's lion had been the largest of them- but none of them compared the magnitude of this beast.

" _Sendak is entering the Arus atmosphere. We need Voltron, now!_ " Princess Allura said into their communication devices. Shiro quickly ran to his lion, hopping in. When he was ready to go, they ran out of the castle, sliding to a stop to watch Sendak approach.

The same question was all on their mind… How the hell to do form Voltron!? Was there a form Voltron button?

Unable to think of it for long, they grunted when a large explosion erupted over the shield around the castle. Realizing it must have been from the canon, Hunk sighed, "Man, those Galra guys fix things fast!"

 _"_ _Paladins, I can give you cover with the castle's defenses for a short time, but you must form Voltron now! Or we'll all be destroyed!"_ Allura pleaded with them. No pressure there.

None of them knew what to do. The pressed button, but nothing seemed to work.

"Uh…" Pidge ran a frustrated hand through their hair, "How exactly?" Another blast from the Ion cannon exploded above them. Feeling more of an impact this time, Shiro growled.  
"Listen up team Voltron. The only way to succeed is to give it all you got! This looks bad but we can do this. Are you with them?"

They shared a nod.

Hunk however, inquired, "I'm nodding. Is everyone else nodding?"

"Yes." they sighed.

"Let's do this!" Shiro shot forward, the others quick on his tail. Lance could see Keith sticking close to his left.

As they shot forward, Lance felt the need to ask as they ran out from under the particle barrier.

"...Soooooo, how do we do this again?"

"Good question." Keith agreed, "Does anyone have any ideas on how to form Voltron?"

"I have clicked every button on my dashboard." Hunk says as they avoided lasers from the fighter crafts above them.

Scanning his perimeter wildly, Lance glanced over to see Keith still over to his left despite pulling away from the group. "...You following me?" he questioned him. Granted he seemed to be sticking close to Shiro too, but Lance wasn't blind- this whole day Keith had made sure to stick close to him for whatever reason.

What did he want?  
"What?" Keith grumbled, "No."  
"Feels like you are." Lance says suspiciously.

"I'm not."

"Oh my god, can you two quite it please?" Hunk groaned, "We need to figure this out and I am freaking out!"

"Me too." Pidge bites at their nails. "Maybe we have to do it another way-" an explosion to their left caught them off guard and they growled, "This is insane! Can't they cease-fire for one second to let us figure this out. Is that too much to ask?" Turning around, Pidge lunged at the closest fighter. Grabbing it with Lion's jaw, he chucked it into another one, destroying them both.

"We gotta do something!" Keith insisted, pausing to fire at one of the fighters. Turning to return to Lance's side, he yelled when Hunk slammed into his Lion.

"Combine!" he exclaimed.  
"HEY!" Keith roared at him.

"...Okay, that didn't work." the yellow lion lowered its head in shame, mimicking Hunk perfectly.

"Maybe if we fly in formation we'll form Voltron." Shiro huffed, running out of options at this point. "On my mark, take off." Running a few more steps he yells, "Take off."

Allura appeared on a screen on the side, "Quickly paladins. Our energy levels are getting low-" she grunted at the enemy fire above her.

Shooting upward, noticing no difference and feeling frustrated they began to mutter to themselves, practically pleading with their lions for some sort of sign.

"This isn't working!' Shiro yelled.

Lance paused at a pulling feeling, "Hey wait, I feel something."

"Yeah, like a pulling sensation!" Hunk agreed.

Shiro paled a little, "I think I know why." he motioned upward. Shocked to realize they were stuck in a tractor beam and hadn't realized it instantly, Lance frowned

"What the cheese?" he grumbled. This was ridiculous.

"Sendak's ship is pulling us in like a black hole!" Pidge cried out. Unable to pull away from the beam they could see the Castle's particle barrier falling below them. One more hit… and it was over.

"Oh no…" Shiro whispered at the sight.

"WE gotta do something!" Lance screamed. When Hunk's face appeared next to him, he dully realized that the lions did have face time…. Great.

"I don't care what you say, Shiro, I'm panicking now!" Hunk sobbed hysterically. With his screams the other fell slowly into the same state, stating final goodbye. "Lance! Pidge! You guys were my best friends!"

"You too, Hunk." the say back.

There was no way out of this. They couldn't form Vitoria, all of them way over their heads. How did they think they could do this!?  
"It can't end this way!" Pidge yelled desperately.

"Lance…" Keith's voice echoed into his headset, "If we don't make it out of here… I'm sorry. Everyone… it's been an honor flying with you boys."

Lance tightened his grip on his controls feeling tightness in his throat. He couldn't seem to say anything back, but nodded, not knowing whether Keith could see it or not.

"No…" a stern voice caught their attention. Realizing it was Shiro, Lance raised his head, "We can do this! We have to believe in ourselves. We can't give up, we are the Universe's only hope. Everyone is relying on us. WE can't fail. We won't fail! If we work together- We'll win together!"

Feeling something that hadn't felt before- perhaps inspiration and something more, the remaining paladins lifted their heads, "YEAH!"

Their lions began to glow then, shooting outward. Lance could feel it as he sat there- his lion was changing, morphing into something new.

They all were.

When it was finally said and done, they were moving, grabbing the Ion canon and shifting it just enough to avoid it's targeting system on the castle. It was safe for now.

But that wasn't what they were focusing on right now.

They had done it.

They, were Voltron.

"I" letsM A LEG!" Hunk screamed at the top of his lungs.

"I can't believe it!" Keith was laughing.

"We formed Voltron!" Pidge cheered.

"How are we doing this?" Lance couldn't stop the excited smile pulling on his lips.

"I don't know." Shiro chuckled, "let'sget that canon!" Voltron turned at the request, gripping at the canon. With a single tug, the can was ripped off from its connection to the ship, falling down to the world below.

Throwing its fist back- or cat face hand(?), they slammed it into the very heart of the ship, firing directly into the power source. The ship began to break apart shortly after, unable to take the intense heat given out by the beam of the Red Lion.

Pulling back, Voltron lunged forward, slamming deeper and deeper into the body of the ship, tearing it apart by force. Lifting itself up, they shared a scream as they slammed down into the ship one last time, causing the entire structure to explode from the inside out.

Their work was done.

With cheers of victory and exhaustion they separated back into lions and returned to the castle. From there they stumbled out to greet the others.

"Good work Paladins!" Allura ran to them, smiling joyfully.

Exhausted and barely able to think straight, lance slurred the words, "Thanks pretty lady."

"Good work team." Shiro ran to them, patting Keith on the back as he passed.

"Heck yeah we did." Keith pulls off his helmet with a flourish, and Lance can't help but notice the droplets of sweat that fly into the air as he elegantly swishes his hair back and- what was he doing? Why was he staring at Keith?

Lance. You look away, and you look around or you will punch yourself! And your right hook will not be merciful!

"How did we do it?" Shiro chuckles, honestly meaning the question but too happy to be overly confused about it.

"I was just screaming the whole time." Hunk admits, "Maybe that did it?  
Chuckling at him a bit, Pidge grabbed their glasses and returned them to their face.

There was a sad and down casted look in his eyes that Shiro quickly caught up on. He reached out for Pidge, placing a heavy but warm hand on their shoulder, "We're not going to stop searching until we find your brother and Father." he assured him, "Where ever they are, I know they would be proud of you."

Touched he would say that, Pidge smiled brightly at him, nodding.

Allura smile slowly fades as she stares at them, "We won the battle, but the war as only just begun. I'm afraid Zarkon won't stop until he gets these lions."

"Good thing you Paladins know what you're doing because you're going to have to form Voltron again and again." Coran grinned.  
"Haha totally- wait, again?' Hunk asked in quiet horror.

"We barely survived the first time." Lance hunched forward.

"Indeed." Coran nodded, "And think you only had to fight one ship. Think about when you have to fight an entire fleet of them. It's not going to be easy being the defenders of the universe."

The way he said that startled all of them, but none of them could deny… they liked that title.

"Defenders of the universe huh?" Shiro smirked, "That's got a nice ring to it." They turned to look up at the lions. It wasn't going to be easy, they knew, but they had a feeling that they might be able to pull it off.

But man was it going to make them sore! Lance could barely move by the time he peeled out of the Paladin armor. Trudging down the hall to the room Coran had given him; he paused when he could feel a pair of eyes on him. He had felt that gaze so many times today, he didn't have to look to know who it was.

"Keith." he sighs and folds his arms. Turning to look at him, Lance narrowed his eyes

"Hey." Keith lowered his gaze.

"...Hey."

Looking hesitant, Keith sighs, "I know I already asked this… but can we talk?"

Lance honestly didn't want to, but after everything that just happened, he felt a little more open the matter, "You got 5 minutes."

Looking hopeful for at least that much, Keith took a few steps closer, "I just wanted to say- and I know I already said this in the fight but I want you to understand that I mean. I really mean it. I… I'm sorry. For everything. I wanted you to know that."

Lance couldn't bare to hear those words but didn't stop him.

"I know this doesn't change anything- I do. But we are going to be seeing each other whether we like it or not during these fights. WE are a team now. We can't be a team if we are at each other's throats."  
Lance found Keith had a point, oddly enough. In fact, he was weirdly calm and sensible about all this.

"I'm not going to make excuses- I just want you to know I do regret hurting you… so if you want to hate me, I understand that too. But I don't want anyone getting killed because we can't act as a team out there. So- for now, can we put this behind us? When we defeat Zarkon you'll never have to see me again. I promise.'

Lance found Keith's gaze.

"...Just teammates?" he narrows his eyes.

Keith nodded, "Teammates. I just ask that you talk to me at least a little bit so that we aren't complete strangers when we try to form Voltron."

"I want rules." Lance folded his arms. Keith looks a little surprised at the request but nodded, "Number 1, no bringing up anything about before you left Garrison. Number 2, never touch me. Number 3, you don't tell Shiro why we broke up. No matter how much he asks you."

The last one was a request Keith never expected to hear, "What? Why would you want that?"

"Because we were happy Keith. At least, I thought we were." Lance sighs, "Shiro is an amazing guy who really looks out for you. He already has troubles remembering the hell he's been through this last year and has a constant reminder of it when he looks at his arm. His arm Keith." Lance grit his teeth, "Whether you will admit it or not, you went nuts after Shiro left. If you tell him that we broke up because of stuff that happened because you thought he died- he'll hate himself."

Keith looks pale when he realized that fact. "I…" he gulped, nodding numbly.

"I'll make sure Pidge and Hunk never do either." Lance swore to him. "Three rules." he concluded, "Sound simple enough."  
Keith didn't seem to look him in the eyes for a while, but when he did they wavered, "Yes."

"Good. You break those rules and I never talk to you again- Voltron or otherwise." Lance warned darkly. "I'm serious Keith. I am willing to let you all find another blue Paladin for this, so don't break these rules."  
Keith nodded as if he were saluting a commanding officer. "I...I understand."

"Good. Then we have a deal." With that, Lance turned around and returned to his room. His space room.

Stumbling inside he collapsed into the bed with a heavy sigh. He wondered as he lay there, could this weird little deal even work?

He wasn't sure. He would just have to wait and see. When he closed his eyes, he dreamed of the beaches and oceans of Earth.

* * *

 **00000000**

Keith lingered in the hall for a long time, opening and clenching his fist. Three rules... two of those rules Keith could follow. He never wanted to make Shiro feel guilty for anything, and not talking about Garrison would be easy.

...Don't touch Lance?

How far did that go? How far did Lance mean with that? It stressed Keith to even think about- did he mean if they bumped in the hall he wouldn't talk to him anymore?

Biting at his thumb in frustration, he knew this was going to be trouble. Accidental bumps or not... he wanted to hold Lance.


	8. Assembly required

Lance may be staying in space, but that was no excuse to ignore the comfort of a good nights sleep. So one can imagine that when he found a soft robe and facial care in the bathroom of his room he couldn't deny the use of them. It would be a waste!  
And oh my gosh did his face feel fantastic when he woke up the next morning! There were even blue lion slippers near the bed! Slippers!

It was the best.

He felt like he missed something important however when he trudged into the control room to see everyone standing there, gawking at him. "Good morning everyone." he says with a small wave, "What's going on?"

"Where did you get that?" Pidge inquires.

"Jealous?"  
"...Maybe."

"It was in the bathroom of my room. I think we all got one." he smiles. Pidge looks towards the door, as if they want to go and see for themselves, but held themselves back when Allura spoke up.

"Coran and I have been up for hours getting the castle back in order. We had to run a test on the alarms and decided to test you as well. Guess which one failed."

"Hey." Hunk frowned, "You got to sleep for 10000 years man. Monday night I was earth, now I've flown through space, fought some evil alien named Zarkon, eaten some weird goo in some weird castle. That's a lot to process in some- I dunno, what day is it?"

"It's the third quietens of the spakolian movement. Hump day!" Coran explained.

"So Wednesday or whatever. It is a lot of process,"

"You must understand the stakes of our mission. Over the past 10,000 years the castle has received distress signals from the following locations." pulling up the map of the known galaxy, thousands of stars and dots began to turn red. It was… immense, "We have to assume that Zarkon has conquered almost the entire known universe." moving her hand, the map shifted to show a few blue sections that hadn't been conquered yet. They all instantly recognized the milk way- it wasn't far from where Zarkon's forces were headed next, "An attack on your planet is inevitable."

'Oh no…" Hunk frowned.

"Exactly. Our mission is to free all those planets. Coran and I are getting the castle ready to leave Arus, in that time you must learn to form Voltron so we can begin fighting Zarkon."

"The Princess is right. Let's get to our lions and start training," Shiro says.

Pidge steps away, "Wait, but I want to talk to the prisoners we rescued from the Galra ship."

"Negative number 5-" Coran was leaning over Pidge, his arms outstretch to show his height, "I have you ranked by height, okay? The prisoners need to remain in the cryo-replenishers until tomorrow."

Sighing, Pidge nodded and moved back to head towards their pod. Everyone followed, ready to begin the day.

It was definitely a ride getting there- Lance was cheering the whole time! Shooting down tubes, going in a little mini vehicle. "Hey Blue~" Lance giggled as he landed within. The Lion seemed to perk up at his arrival. "How is my favorite Lion?" Moving out of the castle, he met the others on the bridge leading to the castle. They were all ready to begin, but Hunk seemed to be missing. Waiting at least 5 minutes, Lance inquired, "Should someone go in after him?"

"Hey!" he shot around the side of the castle, "Sorry everybody. Had some problems. But seriously, can't they park these things a little closer to the bridge?"

"Alright, guys." Shiro turned his lion the other way, "Let's just fly in tight formation until we are in perfect sync."

" _Yes, feel the bond of your lions and your fellow pilots until five become one unit and you form Voltron_." Allura concurred on the screen.

It felt exciting to try. Becoming Voltron was one of the most amazing things any of them had ever done, so with cheers, they leaped into the air. They flew back and forth repeatedly cheering and cheering… and cheering…

Well, the cheering did nothing really, because nothing happened. They didn't form Voltron.

"Wowww… am I the only one still pretending to be excited?" Hunk inquired.

"Clearly this isn't working." Shiro sighed, "Let's set down for a little bit."

"Maybe we should be building Voltron from the ground up?" Keith suggested,

"What do you mean?"

"I mean lets literally try building Voltron by stacking on top of each other."

"Like a cheerleader Pyramid?" Lance frowned.

"You got a better idea?"

Lance frowned at his tone, but Shiro agreed to try. In the end, they were able to- with some trial and error- stack on top of one another. The only issue was that Hunk somehow ended up on the top.

"Hunk." Shiro says, "What are you doing?"

"Hmm, what do you mean?"  
"You're supposed to be the leg, over there," Shiro explains.

"What? No, nono, I'm pretty sure last time I was the head, right?"

"You yelled, I"M AN ARM," Lance says.

"Yeah, I was yelling a lot of things.  
"Shiro's the head," Keith grumbled  
"All the time?"

Shiro closes his eyes, "Let's just try it my way for now."  
"Okay… but next time I call head!"

Moving back into the proper position, Shiro requested that they focus solely on forming Voltron. They sat there for ten minutes, eyes closed and focusing before Shiro said, "Is everyone bonding and focusing?"  
"Why was this so much easier before?' Lance inquired.

Allura suddenly came to them with a suggestion, " _Yesterday you were able to form Voltron in the heat of battle."_ They all agreed, " _Perfect, I think I can help. I need to run a test on all of the castle's defenses. This should help!"_ A second later, the ground began to explode next to them. Shrieking in surprise they ran forward, desperate to avoid the attacks.

"Allura! What are you doing?!" Keith demanded.  
"R _unning a diagnostic test on the defense and inspiring you! I believe in your Paladins! Let fear be your guide! Form Voltron!_ "

"Quick!" Hunk yelled, "Use Keith as bait and run away!"  
"What?!" Keith screamed at him.  
"Great idea~" Pidge sang and bolted in the other direction.

"You two get back here!" Keith shot after them in a furious rage.

"Suck it up, Keith!" Pidge says

"What is with this sudden aggressive attitude Pidge!" Keith demands.

"Sudden?" Pidge asks, "You think this is sudden? Oohhhh, you poor fool you. Let me tell you-"

"Pidge, Keith, Hunk! Stop messing around." Shiro commanded.

They ran for hours, unable to enter the castle with the shield up. You couldn't imagine their relief when the barrier felt after some time.

At first, they considered it a trap, but once they landed their Lion's in their hangers they were grateful for a break.

Plopped down in the resting bay, they noticed Allura and Coran enter a little while later. They were talking about the castle when they noticed them.

Allura gasped, "You did it! You defeated Voltron."

"No." Keith corrects her, "The shooting stopped and the particle barrier shut off so we just flew in."

Allura turned to glare at Coran, who smiled nervously, "Oh, right, sorry Princess. I had to turn off the Castle's defenses to test the fire oppressors."

Shiro entered then, eyes narrowed, "What are you guys doing?" he asked, "We aren't taking a break."

"Shiro is right, you should be training." Allura agreed. They groaned in protest.

"We've been training. When are we going back to Earth?" Hunk demanded.

"I'm not going back till I find my family.' Pidge leaned forward.

"Guys, there won't be an Earth if we can't defeat Zarkon," Shiro announced.

"How are we going to fight?' Lance threw his arms up, "We can't even form Voltron!"

"Not surprising, really." Coran nodded, "You know, the original Paladins fought hundreds of battles together, side by side. They were like a pack of Yulmores linked at the ears!"

"Whoa…" Lance fell back, "That definitely isn't us."

"During the last attack your survival instincts forced you to work as a team, but I am afraid that will only get you so far. You'll have to become a real team to have any chance at forming Voltron and defeating Zarkon next time. You should try training out on the training deck."

"We have a training deck?" Hunk frowned.

Perking up, Coran smirked, "In fact- I have a few exercises that might help. Follow me!"

Glancing at each other, they trudged after the sparkling mustache man- willing to try anything at this point.

They were placed into an odd room when they got there, all told to stand in a circle. Coran was above them, giving them commands.

"Alright listen up guys, the Paladin code demands you put your teammate's safety of your own. A swarm of drones is about to attack.," he announced. Keith turned to look at Lance over his shoulder, catching Lance's gaze. Confused to what he was looking at, Lance blinked. "It is up to each of you to do everything you can to protect the other members of your team."

"Wait wait, what's going on?' Hunk asked as they all pulled out their shields. "Whoa- did you guys get one of these?"

"Get ready," Shiro instructed. A second later, the blasting began. Hunk, in his attempt to avoid getting hit, got Pidge shot instead, then shot himself. Lance sighed a bit but narrowed his eyes when the shooting intensified. Back up to avoid the chance of getting hit, he asked teasingly over his shoulder, "Holding up, Keith?"  
"Are you?" he challenged back.

"I own this drill." Taking another step back, he could feel his back graze Keith's.

Keith tensed, straightened, and yelled over his shoulder, "I didn't mean to break rule 2! It was an accident!"

"What?" Lance questioned, only to watch Keith fall into the hole below when he got hit in the arm for not paying attention. Blinking rapidly, he struggling to watch Shiro's back being the only two of them and was swiftly defeated. Shiro, left alone, followed after.

Well, that was a fail.

Landing in the failure bin below with the others, he sighed. Keith was staring at him with wide eyes. "Did I break rule two?" he panted

"What?" Lance reeled back, "No-"  
"Next exercise~!" Coran cheered. The platform they were on began to move and they were brought back up to the training deck. Once they were there, they were each separated and put into the room at different times.

Coran explained above, putting Lance into the room first, "To form Voltron, you must trust in each other. This ancient Paladin maze will teach you that trust." as he spoke the maze disappeared. Shocked, Lance looked around wildly, "Your teammate can see the wall, but you cannot. So listen carefully, if you touch the walls you'll receive a slight shock!"

"Wait…' Lance felt uneasy about this, "Who is guiding me through?"  
"Take two steps forward," Keith said into his helmet.  
"Oh no, not Keith." he groaned. "Why is he the man with the mic?"

"You'll have your turn," Coran assured.

"Take two steps forward, turn right, then three steps that way," Keith instructed. Sighing, Lance paused.  
"...How many forward?"

"Two."

"Two steps forward," Lance repeated moving forward. "Three steps right?"

'Yes…" there was a pause, "...I didn't break rule two during the last exercise, did I?"

Was he still caught up on that? "What, no Keith-" he shrieked when he hit the wall. "Keith!" he roared.  
"You took four steps! I said three!" Keith yelled immediately. "Left!"

Lance instantly turned left, running into another wall, "You didn't say how many steps!"

"2!"

He took another step, hitting the wall again, "We're switching right now!" when they did, Lance was upset to see that it was Pidge guiding Keith through instead.

"One step forward," Pidge says blankly. Keith ran into a wall. They were all shocked at the sight, watching Keith fall onto the ground.

"You said forward!" he yelled, looking up towards them.

"...Did I?" Pidge cringes innocently, "I can't recall. Two steps right."  
After the second step, Keith hit a wall and screamed, "Pidge!"

"Did I say two? I meant one."

"Lead me through properly! We are supposed to be bonding!" Keith demanded.

"You're right.' Pidge nodded, "Left."

Keith was about to move, but paused, "How many steps left?" he growled.

"I said left~"

"I know, I'm asking how many steps!?"

"Left. Left. Left."

"PIDGE!"

"Not that this isn't amusing, but this isn't really part of the exercise." Coran pointed out softly. After it was over, he suggested that some fresh air might calm them down and moved their training back to the lions. It would be a flying exercise.

...A silent and very awkward flying exercise since no one was willing to talk to each other. When he made this deal with Keith he hoped that the team would be able to push through this okay. It wasn't like the deal was messing with anyone honestly- just assured Keith and him would be able to get through this.

So how come that the more time they spent together the worse their bond was getting?

It boggled Lance's mind!

"You'll never be able to form Voltron unless each of you holds a strong bond with your lion." Coran announced, "Everyone- put your Lion's into a nose dive!" Doing as instructed, the team shot down towards the ground. "This is an expert level drill that you really should attempt unless you have been flying for years but uh- we're in a bit of a rush, so here we go. Activating training helmets."  
Lance screamed when darkness covered his eyes, "I can't see!" he yelled. He could hear the others panicking over his comms and realized that this must have been part of the exercise.

"You must learn to see from your lion's eyes." Coran instructed, "The goal is to pull up right before you hit the ground. Feel what the lion feels!"

Staying with the group for only a few second, Hunk yelped, "My lion feels scared!" he pulled up.

Feeling the controls shake at his fingers, Lance curiously glanced over to where he knew Keith must have been, "...Still going Keith?" he said, feeling a challenge boiling in his stomach.

"You know it." he grunted, "You?"

"Going?" Lance says, "I'm speeding up!"

"Oh yeah?"

Knowing that both of them were probably shooting towards the ground at this point, he could feel a bead of sweat trickling down his face. This was probably dumb and insane, but was he stopping? No, no he was not.

"We must be getting close," he said slowly

"Must be," Keith said, voice wavering.

"You getting scared?"  
"I'm not scared!" Keith slammed his throttle forward for one last burst of speed before they both crashed head first into the sand below. Groaning, Lance panicked when his lion fell over, tumbling down a hill of sand.

"...I win." Keith groans.

"Shut up…"

"You oka-?"  
'If you ask me if I am okay I am going to bury you in that sand, Keith!" Lance yelled.

"... So you're okay then?" he asked gently.

They ended the training with Shiro's Lion having to grab Blue by the tail and yank him away from slamming the red Lion deeper and deeper into the sand. "Just let me bury him, Shiro! It could be so easy! We can be Voltron without an arm or two!"

"Lance, No!"

Pidge and Hunk had to unwillingly dig Keith out, who then returned to the castle, sand trailing behind him the entire way. Needless to say, Coran thought lion training could be avoided for the rest of the day.

Lance can't say he felt comfortable in the slightest with Coran's next exercise. They were seated in a large circle with strange devices on their heads. Coran had told them this was similar to a meditating session and that they would need to use a lot of focus.

"Now the most important part of paladin training is being able to meld your minds and focus on one thing: Voltron. Everything needs to fade away."

Lance had a lot of things on his mind honestly- but at the moment, he really just missed his family. It wasn't like he got to see them back at Garrison, but at least from there, they were only an hour or two away. Here… they were galaxies away. Homesickness was hitting him like a bus.

"This technique will be essential in forming Voltron. So relax and open your mind. No walls, no secrets between paladins. Come on now everyone, clear everything."

It was bizarre for sure, but Lance felt too consumed with his own focused thoughts on his family and Voltron to really delve into any of the others- though he could if he tried. He didn't want to know what most of them were thinking, though...

"Pidge, stop thinking about your girlfriend," Keith says

"I wasn't!" he says back, "And you are one to talk. Don't think I can't hear who your thoughts are caught up on."

"Shut up!' Keith snapped, red in the ears.

"Speaking of, do I need to punch you again, or did you just not learn your lesson last time?" Hunk inquired coldly to Keith.

"You punched him?" Shiro gawked at the yellow paladin.

"And I'll do it again if you don't back off of Lance." Hunk warned.

"Hunk." Lance frowned, "You don't- it is fine, I promise." Lance wasn't even really paying attention to whatever Keith was thinking.

...Was it about him? Was Keith thinking about him right now?

"Exactly, so blame Keith." Pidge insisted.

"I can still form Voltron regardless!"

"None of us can form Voltron!" Pidge yelled.

"And Hunk! I'm not messing with, Lance."

"Oh yeah, sure you aren't! Don't think I don't see you always staring at him." Hunk accused him.

"How about you mind your own business, Hunk?!"

"Like you are one to talk." Pidge scoffed,

"You weren't even there, you shut up." Keith pointed at him.

"I didn't have to be there to know what you did you jerk! And I'm not sure I'm too comfortable with a guy like you rummaging around in my mind." Pidge growled.

"Why are you suddenly turning on me?!" Keith demanded.

"Are you stupid?! There is nothing _sudden_ about this! I've been pissed at you since day one Keith!" Pidge jabbed a finger into his chest, "Just, unlike Hunk, I put that aside to focus on the aliens attacking us! But now, I can tell you exactly what is on my mind!"

"Then say it!"

"You stuck up, half-witted, scruffy-looking… Nerf herder!" Was that a Star wars reference?

"What even is that?!"

"I'll explain, and I'll use small words so you'll be sure to understand!"

"Oh snap!" Hunk made wild noises behind Pidge, giving Keith a look.

Lance watched quietly as the three argued and bickered, sensing the tension grow with each new comment. "...Is there something I should know?" Shiro turned to him amongst the chaos.

"Huh? Oh uh… no. Not really." Lance shrugged. Shiro frowned at this. When Shiro gave him an unbelieving look he offered, "Maybe we all just really don't like each other?"

"Lance." he says a little more sternly, "If there is something that is wrong- the full team deserves to know. I feel like I am the only one in the dark with all of this."

While that was true, Lance could only turn away, "It's… complicated."

"It's about Keith and you." he concluded, able to figure out that much.

Lance shrugged a little.

"Come on guys!" Coran called from above, "This is supposed to be an exercise for bonding!"

It was only when Keith, Pidge, and Hunk rose to start some sort of fist fight that Shiro intervened and the training was put to a stop.

"Okay!" he shoved them away, "Let's just calm down. I think we are all just a little tired."  
Coran frowned, "Perhaps a break will do us some good." Running to fetch something, he came back handing each of the paladins some water.

Taking his, Lance leaned back against Hunk, grateful for the small break.

"You have been working hard." Coran praised them, "Maybe it is time you relax a little."  
Allura had other plans however as she entered the room. "What are you doing lying around? You are supposed to be training."

"Just resting a bit.' Coran assured, "You know, you can't push too hard."

"What do you mean can't push too hard?!" she demanded, startling Coran, "Get up you lazy lumps! It is time you face the Gladiator!"

After playing many games with beings known as Gladiators, Lance could just tell this wasn't going to be fun. Placed in a room, their weapons already out and ready to go- they waited.  
"In order to defeat the Gladiator, five paladins must fight as one," Coran tells them from above. Knowing Allura was watching, they felt a bit of tension from the exercise.

Not knowing where the attack would come, Hunk shrieked when something fell from the sky above him. A large white machine, armed with a spear appeared from the room, looming over all of them. Shrieking when it charged at him, Hunk turned his gun towards it, barely able to lift and control the heavy cannon.

Taking his slow speed as its chance, the Gladiator attacked Hunk, slamming him into the ground. Leaping over him, he lunged for Pidge next, easily slamming him into a pile above Hunk.

Knowing that since he was closest it would turn to him next, Lance already began to fire his fun. It didn't seem to cause any damage in the slightest to this machine and he was able to quickly get into attack range. Duck when it swung at him, Lance stumbled back, sensing Shiro and Keith running up behind him.

Using his gun to block most of the Gladiator's swings, Lance felt it slip from his fingers, sliding to the side. Gasping, the spear was jabbed into his gut. He gagged, watched the Gladiator block Keith's attack, and then gagged again when it hit his stomach again, lifting him and tossing him straight into the red paladin.

Yelling, they rolled across the floor, half laying on the other.

"Not… Rule number… 2." Keith gasped for air,

"I will kill you," Lance swore, sick and tired of having to correct Keith on exactly how this rule worked. Pushing Keith off, they scrambled to their feet to try and assist Shiro.

They had no doubt out of all of them he would be able to defeat the Gladiator on his own- but something happened. He froze up, eyes wide in some sort of panic.

Not liking the sight of him, Keith bolted forward, lifting his sword to block the Gladiator's attack when he swung at Shiro. "Shiro?" he called over his shoulder, 'You okay?"

Unable to snap out of his little stage in time, Keith was thrown back into them, and they hit the ground hard.

With all of them defeated, the Gladiator shut down, falling to the floor. Allura walked into the room a second later, eyes narrowed and hands on her hips, "That Gladiator simulator was set at a level fit for an Altean child! You're not close to working as a team, let alone face Zarkon!"

Were Altean children on steroids or something?!

Sighing, however, knowing she was right, everyone exited the simulator with heavy heads. Coran was giving them 30 minutes to rest before dinner.

"Well… that sucked." Lance grumbled.

"I thought we kind of did okay today." Hunk whimpered, "I mean- I'm not used to any of this."

"None of us really are Hunk." Shiro placed a hand on his shoulder, "You've been working hard."

"You think?" he perks up

"Yeah, at least you weren't like Keith and Lance who face planted the sand," Pidge says.

"Oh yeah, that was funny," Hunk says.

"Hey," Lance says when he nudges him.

Sharing an open laugh that opened Lance's heart- he felt it die down when Hunk caught Keith's gaze. Glaring at each other the moment they could, lance sighed.

"Alright." Shiro stepped forward, pushing the two apart, "That is it. What is going on between you guys?"

"Nothing." they say and turn away.  
"Obviously it is something. We are a team now- we can't have secrets like this. And-" he looked a little uncomfortable with this fact, "You all know what this secret is but me. I can't help but feel that is has something serious to do with me so please, tell me what is wrong so that I can figure out what to do."

"It isn't about you Shiro." Pidge tells him, "It is just something- we should really be the ones to work it out."

"I don't really see you guys doing that." Shiro folds his arms. Looking away, he opened and closed his mouth, "Is it something you can't trust me with?" he inquires softly.

None of them could really answer, not really knowing if the answer was yes or no.  
"So you can't trust me."

"That isn't it. We can." Keith tells him, "We just- don't want to worry you."

"I'm worried either way, Keith. None of you can get along! I can't help any of you if I don't know the issue."

"You don't need to know the issue." Hunk tells him.

"So I should just stand here and let you all tear each other apart?" Shiro demanded, "I can't do that! Not when I can do something about it! Please… you can trust me." He seemed… hurt. Of course he would be- this was Shiro. He was like this even at Garrison- caring and kind. His team was his family to him. No matter how long he actually knew you he was willing to give his life for you.

Lance hadn't even realized that not knowing this secret was killing on the inside.

"Shiro.' Lance sighs, catching their attention. "I'll tell you."

"Lance!" Keith yelled, "You said we shouldn't-"  
"I know what I said!" Lance snapped at him to shut him up, "But we obviously can't push past this. So I'm going to tell him."

Opening and closing his mouth, Keith lowered his gaze with narrowed eyes. Turning away, he motioned for lance to do whatever he wanted.

"Just… let's sit down." Sitting down, Lance began to explain. He told Shiro how when Keith discovered he had "died", he went ballistic. Shiro glanced at Keith quietly but didn't say anything.

From Shiro's death, a gap was put between the two of them- they broke up.

Shiro tightened his grip on the chair arms, his knuckles turning white. "Because of-"

"It wasn't because of you." Keith was quick to say. "I mean- yes I was upset, but it was my fault we broke up. Not you."

"But you broke up because you were upset over me-"

"We broke up on our own Shiro." Lance says, "We didn't want to tell because we knew you would blame yourself for that. But it isn't your fault Shiro, none of it."

"Yeah man," Hunk agreed. "And I- I'm just pissed at Keith. Lance is my friend..."

"That makes two of us. Lance wasn't exactly the same after what happened. I mean, I'm not saying I knew him before- but he wasn't exactly happy once I did meet him." Pidge says, "He was-"

"I fell into a depression," Lance admitted openly, startling them all. "It was hard- But it is okay now. I'm fine."

"Are you?' Shiro asked with wide eyes.

Feeling as though he was looking at his own parents, Lance tried his best not to let his voice crack, "Yeah." Shiro was too fatherly for his own good. "And I want to move past it." he rose, "Listen, I made a deal with Keith to be mature about this and focus on Voltron. The universe needs us right now and if we can't pull it together then we don't stand a chance. So I appreciate you guys sticking up for me-" he smiled brightly at Pidge and Hunk, "I'm fine. What does makes me upset is when I see you guys doing this. This isn't you, Hunk. You're the fun loving teddy bear. And Pidge, you're the nerdy baby cub."

"Baby cub?!" he gasped.

"It is instantly what I picture you to be- sorry," Lance said quickly. "The point is- we gotta stop fighting and focus on Zarkon. When we get back to Earth we can hate each other all we want."

Glancing at each other, Pidge and Hunk slowly nodded. "Okay."

Looking to Shiro, they sat quietly when he hunched forward, bringing his hands together in thought. He had looked horrified when Lance told him what happened, but it had faded to silent contemplation.

Rising to his feet, he put a hand on Lance's shoulder, "Thank you for telling me that Lance. It must have been hard. For all of you." he turned to the rest of the group. "I understand now why this has been so difficult… I can't imagine how all of you must feel, but if any of you need to talk, I am here."

Sharing nod, they turned when Coran called them to dinner.

None of them said a word as they sat down. Lance didn't even mind Keith sitting next to him- for once.

"Welcome young paladins! I've whipped up a bunch of focusing food!" Coran grinned. "After this meal you'll be forming Voltron six times a movement and twice on the Astral conflux!"

Shiro sent him a smile, "It smells great Coran, thanks."

Reaching for their forks, they only noticed Coran's smirk a little too late before he pulled out a small device and pointed it at them. Pressing the button, they were all shocked when cuffs appeared on their wrists and threw them into the paladin next to them.

They were officially tied together.

"Hold the phone!" Lance snapped angrily.

"I'm not breaking rule two!" Keith screamed. Startled Keith yelled that in his ear, lance leaned away.

"Geez- I get it! Chill out and shut up, this doesn't- this is fine Keith, stop freaking out." Lance muttered at him,

"What is this rule 2 thing anyway?" Pidge muttered, glaring at the cuffs around their wrists.

"Nothing, forget it. Coran! What is going on?" Lance demanded.

"I saw a lot of solid individual performances out there today, but you are still struggling to work as a team. So welcome to the final bonding exercise of the day."

Hunk attempted to reach for his food, unable to with the cuffs. Finding something coming between him and his meal, his voice got low, "Coran, I want you to think about what you are doing."

"Oh, this one is a classic." Coran giggled, "You'll get to feed each other- like a pack of Yulmoores!"

They shared silent glares to each other.

A little while later, Allura joined them at the table, watching with silent amusement at the Paladin's struggles.

"Ow!" Hunk yelped when Lance slapped him with the spork.

"Sorry." Lance apologized, trying his best to stay with Hunk's movement, gasping when Hunk took a nibble at his hand by mistake, "Ew!" he pulled away, accidentally pulling Keith towards him. He gawked in horror when Keith's hand landed on his plate. "Oh nice, you defiled my food goo!' he accused.

"It is your fault!" Keith argued. "This is ridiculous!"

"Do Earthlings ever stop complaining?' Allura asked, watching food fly over the table.

"Can't you just give us a break?" Shiro asked her, irritation in his tone, "Everyone has been working really hard today."

"Yeah!" Keith rose to his feet, "We're not some prisoners for you to toy with like… like-" his common knowledge on pop media being small, Lance stepped forward to help him.

"Like a bunch of toy prisoners!" it was simple, not too hard to come up with, but it worked.

"Yes!" Keith snapped his fingers, "Thank you- Lance." he says a little awkwardly.

Blinking once, there was a slight sparkle in Coran's eyes as he yelled, "You do not yell at the princess."

"Oh, the princess of what?' Pidge scoffed, "We're the only ones out here and she is no princess of ours-" green goo hit his face a second later.

All eyes trailed to the end of the table where Allura stood with her hand extended out.

Keith made a grab for the bowl below them, "Go Loose Pidge!" he says, chucking the plate at the princess. Coran was quick to deflect it, tossing an entire spoon full of the stuff back at them.

Suddenly covered by goo, the paladins rose as one and the food fight was on.

"Bring it on!" Hunk says, using his own mouth to fire the goo like some sort of machine gun.

"Show 'em who's boss Hunk!" Lance yelled.

The battle was long, arduous, and messy, but Lance would say they one in the end as the Princess slide back into a seat, exhausted. Blinking a few times Lance snorted.

Looking at him, Hunk couldn't believe his eyes when Lance started to laugh. It was an open and full laugh, unlike the small chuckles Lance had given since they arrived.

It lasted so long that Lance was starting to turn red and had to hunch over to catch his breath, "T-That was- did you see Coran's face?!" he cackled.

Hunk, who hadn't heard Lance laugh like that in months, teared up, grinning slowly, "Yeah!" he agreed, hoping to keep this going, "And Allura! Did you see when she slipped on the goo on the floor."

"Or when Shiro got hit so hard he squealed like a girl!" Pidge added in.

'It wasn't like a girl-" Shiro cut himself off when he looked at Lance, "How about when Pidge used Keith as a full body shield?"

"Perks of being small." Pidge grinned. Keith gave Shiro a little look, but the smile broke across his face when they all began to laugh.

"ENOUGH!" Allura roared. Shivers running up their spine at her tone, they turned to her as soldiers would. "Don't you see what you are all doing?" she demanded.

Not sure what she meant, they stood in silence, awaiting the rage with baited breath.

"You are finally working together as one!" when she lifted her head, she smiled brightly at them. Not expecting that or realizing the fact themselves, they looked at one another.

"Hey… she is right." Keith says in awe.

'I actually don't hate you right now." Pidge says in bewilderment.

"You guys thinking what I am thinking?" Hunk bumps into Lance.

"Let's go form Voltron" Shiro lifted his fist.

"YEAH!"

Hunk frowned, "Actually I was thinking desert, but yeah, Voltron is good too." All turning at the same time to leave, they screamed when the cuffs tugged on them and they toppled to the floor in one big heap.

Lance felt himself grunt when Keith landed painfully on his chest, "Not breaking rule two!" he roared.

"OH MY GOD DUDE! Stop with this!" Lance started kicking at him. "Just get off!"

Rising to their feet, the moved to their pods when the cuffs were removed. They felt a lot more confident in themselves after today- despite all the ups and downs.

"Everyone ready to do this?' Shiro asked as they got to their lions.

"Roger that," Pidge says,  
"It's on!" Lance grinned.

"Yes, sir," Keith smirked.

Hunk, who had managed to get to his lion this said, "I was born ready!"

Shooting out of the castle, they could feel it- they could feel Voltron. Following that feeling through, lance was already cheering when his Lion began to transform. Everyone else followed suit, coming together to make the awesome kick ass warrior they all knew and loved.

Cheering, they stood before Coran and Allura to show their improvement. They were smiling below them.

It was a great way to end the end.

Honestly, Lance didn't want it to end after that! They flew around as Voltron for hours before Coran finally called him in.

"Man!" Lance threw himself into the seats of the resting bay, "I'm so pumped, I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight."

"Not me." Keith chuckled, "Once my head hits that pillow, I'll be lights out."

Hunk was sniffling above them, "I just want you all to know, I realized while we're in Voltron-" he wrapped his arms around Keith and Lance, pulling them into a hug, "We're brothers man. No barriers, just us being us." He sniffed, "I mean, I'm still mad at you Keith, but I think I can stand you just a little bit more." he squeezed the two of them tightly.

Lance chuckled a little bit.

"Uh, Thanks, Hunk. Did the G forces mess with your head?" Keith smirked.

Hunk blinked, "Well… maybe." he nodded, "It's been a tough few days."

Getting up to hit the hay, Shiro paused to look at Pidge, "Going to bed, Pidge?"

"In a little bit." he assured them.

"Good work today." Shiro praised him, "We're really coming together."

Nodding, Pidge watched them leave quietly, pulling a picture from his pocket to sigh. "Matt…"

* * *

 **0000-000**

Lance, despite what he said before, felt exhausted by the time he reached his room. Taking off his jacket and hanging it on the hanger, he yawned. Today didn't turn out as bad as he thought it would.

They managed to tell Shiro the truth, and he seemed to take it well. As did the others.

The only issues as-

He groaned when he realized there was still something he had to do.

Stomping out of his room, he trudged down the hall to the next one, moving to the very end and banging on the door.

"Keith?" Lance said.

Something slammed against the side on the other side, as if Keith threw himself into the door in a panic, and the door opened. Keith had dressed down from his normal gear to his black shirt and shorts- eyes wide and hair slightly a mess. "...Oh." Lance stepped back, "Were you asleep?"

"No, just laying down." Keith insisted. "Did you uh- need something?" he rubbed at his eyes. He was totally sleeping. Guess what he said before was right- he fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

"I think we had a miscommunication." Lance sighed, delving straight into the point, "Probably my bad on this one."

"Miscommunication?"

To answer his question, Lance held out his hand to Keith. Keith stepped away instantly, hands raised in surrender. "This is what I mean. Shake my hand, Keith."  
"Rule number 2-"

"Doesn't apply to every single little thing." Lance groaned. "You are taking this way too literal! We are living together in the same castle and will be fighting side by side. We are going to run into each other, or bump shoulders, or we might need to help each other up- we are going to touch each other."

Keith was puzzled, but slowly nodded, "But then-"

"No kissing. No hugging. If you can avoid touching me, then do it. I don't need any end of the battle pat on the backs." Lance felt ready to pull his extended palm back to his side. Keith reached up to grab it before he could. He shook Lance's hand in a test of the suggestion.

"Then this is fine?" Keith asked slowly.

"..." Lance nodded, gripping Keith's hand a little to fully shake it back. "This is fine."

"Oh." Keith seemed flustered and pulled his hand away, stuffing it into his pocket, "Sorry for freaking out today then."

"It's fine- we were all on edge."

"Yeah."

"..." Lance cleared his throat, "Well uh- I'm going to bed."

"Right, of course. Good night."

"Good night."

Moving down the hall, Lance glanced down at his hand when he turned the hall, opening and closing his palm. Shrugging it off, he paused when he noticed Shiro at his door. He had his hand extended out, as if he intended to knock on Lance's door, but was holding himself back.

"Shiro?"

He jumped back in surprise, "Lance. I- I wanted to talk with you."

"Yeah, of course." Lance nodded, "What's up."

"I just…." he sighed, "I know you told me before not to do this- but I wanted to apologize for what happened."

"Shiro, no." Lance frowned, "Don't do this to yourself."

"I want to Lance." Shiro insisted. "It'll give me some peace of mind."

Sighing, he nodded, "I know Shiro. If it makes you feel better, I forgive you- but I never blamed you in the first place. It was Keith who made the decision to push me away."

"He never would have done that if I hadn't left."

"You never know- he might have."  
"He wouldn't-" The side smile he gets from Lance cuts him off.

"We'll never know. Either way, it happened Shiro. Nothing can change that. I just-" the tired look in Lance's eyes were heartbreaking, "I want to make it through this with a smile. We are Paladins now. A lot of people are counting on us and we should focus on that. But thanks for coming to tell me this. I feel a little better actually."

"You do?"

Lance nodded, "it is strange, I never thought I would have friends like you guys- people who would notice when I'm sad even when I don't say anything. It is nice. So- just like how you offered to us- if you need to, you can come talk to me if you are worried, Shiro."

Shiro brought his hand to Lance's hand, ruffling his hair, "I'm proud of you, Lance."

Stepping back with a laugh, Lance adjusted his hair back into place. Then, he realized something. "This is weird." he purses his lips.

"What is?"

"This."

"...This?" Shiro inquired.

"When I talk to you, I feel like I am talking to my dad," Lance said, rubbing his chin in contemplation. Shiro squared his back at the suggestion, flustered.

"Y-Your father? I'm not that old, Lance."

'It's not about age." he insists, "It just- the feel I get from you. You are like my dad."

Embarrassed to hear such a thing, Shiro scratched the back of his head, "R-Really?"

Lance snapped his fingers, "I know! I'll call you, Space dad, from now on."

"Wha- Lance, No."  
"It's official!" he proclaimed, "I gotta go tell Hunk and Pidge, they'll totally agree with me."

"Lance no!" Shiro ran after him, a red tint in his ears, "It will trend! Everyone will call me that if you tell them!"  
"I know!" lance says as he runs down the hall, "That is why I have to tell them! The universe must know!"

"Lance!"


	9. Return of the Gladiator

"Great job training today guys!" Shiro praised, "We are really getting a hang of forming Voltron."

"Thanks, Space Dad." They chorus.

He almost slipped, "Guys!" he turns around with wide eyes, "I told you not to call me that." His look of anger is focused on a certain smirking blue paladin that was the cause of all this.

"Would you prefer space Mom?' said paladin inquired sweetly

"No." Shiro scowled.

"Then Space Dad it is."Groaning, Shiro threw his arms up in defeat, retreating to the table for lunch.

Groaning, Shiro threw his arms up in defeat, retreating to the table for lunch.

Lance chuckled at him, thrilled about today's training, "Did you see how far we kicked that broken alien ship?"

Hunk shared the hearty laugh with him, "Haha yeah… but we ended up falling over." he trailed off.

"Yeah." Lance nodded. "But it was still cool."

"Oh totally."

"That sure will come in handy when Zarkon challenges us to a soccer match." Keith rolled his eyes sarcastically.

"Why you-" the spark of rage blew out as an idea crossed his mind. Lance looked at Hunk with a sparkle in his gaze, "Picture this- a big field stretched out across the stars, people coming from all over the universe, giant robots placed together on two teams for the Universal Soccer League Cup!"

"It would be the best soccer game this side of the known Universe!" Hunk proclaimed, "Ooh, but how would we find more players? So far we've got Voltron-" he paused when he tried to list off some giant robots only to find there was only one to the list, "Yeah, we got Voltron, that is about it."

"Maybe we could make some more?" Lance suggested.

"More Voltrons?" Shiro glanced at them.

Lance waved him off, "No. More giant robots to be on Voltron's team- He is obviously team captain by the way."

"Oh, undoubtedly." Hunk agreed, "But how could we build more giant robots?"

"We use Voltron to build them. I can't be that hard if you don't add the giant killer's weapons and what not." he insisted.

Hunk sighed, "That does tend to increase the building time."

"What are you two even talking about?" Keith grumbled, "We aren't making giant robot soccer players."

"Like you don't think the idea is cool." Lance scoffed at him.

"I don't."

"Well, then you are a liar."

Keith turned to him at the comment, "Did you just call me a liar?"

"You think giant robots are cool and would love to have your own. And I don't mean Voltron because you would want one completely to yourself." Lance says simply. "I know that because you told me once that after watching Transformers."

Keith blinked once before speaking, quick to yell, "Those are different! Those are fighting robots!"

"A robot is still a robot, soccer or otherwise."

"I didn't even think you'd still remember that," Keith says, honestly surprised.

Lance didn't think he would either, but he did. He recalled a lot of things from his time together with Keith- some things small, some big.

Every word Keith would say to him felt so important that Lance just had to try and remember every single one he could. Sometimes they still echoed in his mind when he was asleep, comforting him back to a time when things were simple. Other times they'd awaken him with horrid nightmares. Keith Kogane was his own version of a double edged sword.

"I'm starving…" he pats his stomach when it growls, almost grateful that it changed this topic for him.

"Looking forward to the food goo." Hunk rung his hands together excitedly. Seeing Coran come out with a silver platter covered with a cover, he giggled. "Food time!"

Coran smiled at them, "Indeed! How did the Voltron training go?"

"We're getting there. How are things going with the ship? Have Allura and you managed to reboot all the systems so we can finally leave this planet?" he inquired. "I feel like we are sitting ducks here on Arus."

"Just about. In the meantime, to get your minds off those _duck seats,_ you are so worried about, I made you guys an authentic Paladin lunch!" pulling off the cover, Hunk's hopes were dashed at the oozing slime balls that protruded from heh tray.

The smell alone had them reeling back.

"Coran, you just got me hook on that goo and now you are switching it up?" Hunk whined.

"This is packed with nutrients." he insisted

Hunk leaned forward to smell the vile looking creation. He almost barfed, "It smells disgusting."  
Coran leaned forward to get a whiff of his own, pulling up with a much more satisfied expression, "I know, that is how you know it is healthy."

Nope. Not eating that.

Lance turned to retreat from Coran's so-called _Paladin lunch,_ noticing Keith thinking the same thing and moving with him. Quickly shuffling all the way to the end of the table, he couldn't help but hear that Hunk was going to try and bake something himself.

There weren't exactly any normal Earth spices to work with, but he was positive that Hunk could figure something out. Deciding to wait, he sat down as far away as he could from Coran's creation.

Keith was seated next to him, staring towards the other side of the room with a dull expression.

Lance had started to get used to this sort of behavior after a while- which is really hard for him to come to terms with. He didn't say anything most of the time, but Keith always simply stood close to Lance's general position. Whether standing on sitting, Keith was close by.

He technically wasn't breaking any of the rules they had set so Lance couldn't call him out on it, but he couldn't wrap his head around the purpose of it either. Keith seemed to just enjoy being close to him.

...Which was creepy.

He wasn't really that fun of a guy if Lance had to be honest. Besides fighting, flying and basic human needs- Keith wasn't the kind of guy who had a lot of hobbies. Take those hobbies away from him and he just sat there until something he liked did roll around.

It was a pain to try and go on dates with him sometimes- or even just find stuff in common that they could do together. Flying was a big thing, and with nothing to do on Garrison they often resulted in turning to the town for entertainment.

They never really did anything Keith wanted to do, did they? They usually just did whatever Lance suggested- not like Keith was really contributing to the group.

Biting his thumb a little, anxiety bubbled in Lance's gut- Keith never said no to whatever Lance wanted to do, but did he ever actually enjoy himself during that time? Of course he was when they were flying, or talking about space- but other than that…

Lance bit off his nail, grumbling at himself at the action. Chewing on it to flatten it out a little, he realized something. He didn't mind thinking back to a year ago with Keith anymore. It really just didn't matter anymore, did it? The past was the past, no changing that.

Humming a little at that thought, he glanced over to Keith.

Honestly… how well did he truly ever know this temperamental pilot in the first place? Obviously not well enough, considering what happened.

"Hey?" Shiro pulled him out of his thoughts to ask, "Where is Pidge?"

"Probably down with those prisoners we rescued." Coran explained, "They will be waking up soon." When Shiro rose, most likely going to join Pidge, Coran held out the fork to him, wiggling the odd ball of goop towards their eldest paladin, "Open the hatch. Food line coming in~" he instructed, making airplane noises.

Shiro paled, narrowed his eyes, and stepped back, "No." he shook his head, "Just, no." he turned and fled the room.

"You don't know what you are missing!" Coran called to him. Whipping his eyes around, his gaze locked on to the blue and red paladin still within the room.

"Come any closer and I punch you." Keith didn't miss a beat.

"What he said." Lance gagged at the sight. Willing to wait however long it took for Hunk to come up with something his patience was well rewarded.

The pride on his friend's face was a good indicator that he was about to have a fantastic meal.

"Here you go guys." he says, bringing a tray near them.

Enthralled when Hunk slides a few glasses of- well they weren't sure what they were- towards them, they couldn't help but drool. It looked fantastic.

Giving each other quick looks, Lance and Keith dug in. The food was outstanding- they shouldn't have expected any less from Hunk the super chef.

Chowing down as fast as they can, going days without eating more than just goo, they scowled when their forks reached for the same piece of meat. Glaring at each other, they tugged, managing to pull the meat in half before continuing their feast. From time to time their forks would click, angrily slashing at each other if they got in the others way.

"Best Meal… ever!" Lance said through his full mouth.

"I do what I do." Hunk dusted his knuckles.

When Allura entered, she giggled at them, "They like the Paladin lunch." she noted.

Realizing she meant Hunk's food and not his own, Coran huffed, "I don't want to talk about it."

Smiling at him, Allura says, "I just got the final nebulan booster working. We should be able to leave Planet Arus tomorrow and take the fight straight to Zarkon-" Before she could fully finish, an alarm began to sound throughout the room. Startling, they leaped to their feet, noodles slurping up to Lance's face.

Chewing rapidly as the screen appeared, he swallowed when something small came into sight. The screen was a video feed coming from the very front of the castle, warning them that something small was approaching.

"What is that?" Keith demanded.

Allura seemed to relax a little at the sight of this strange creature, "I don't know what it is." she admits, "Perhaps it is a local Arusian? He is approaching the castle."

Watching the screen, Hunk and Lance felt their hearts melt at the sight of this cute little guy. The closer he got, shifting from hiding place to hiding place, the more he gave out a small battle cry, swinging his small sword around frantically.

"Doesn't look too dangerous." Lance can't stop staring at the little guy.

"You never know," Keith said coldly, pulling out his bayard."Dude." Lance gasped at him, shocked he would even insinuate threatening such a tiny little thing. "Look at it, Keith! It is the size of your knee. Your knee." he repeated it for emphasis.

"Dude." Lance gasped at him, shocked he would even insinuate threatening such a tiny little thing. "Look at it, Keith! It is the size of your knee. Your knee." he repeated it for emphasis.

"It could be a trick." Keith insisted.

"No." Allura motioned for him to put his weapon away. "Alteans believe in peace first- let's go welcome them." she turned to run towards the entrance.

"Aww, that's adorable." Hunk gushed, happily running to join her, excited to meet the little guy.

"Maybe we can knit him a little sweater." Lance grinned. With a distrusting scowl, Keith brought his bayard along regardless of what they thought.

"I'm not taking any chances."

"Dude, it looks like the size of a toddler." Lance scolded him. "Would you hit a toddler?"

"Of course not! And that thing is obviously not a toddler!"

"You really haven't changed." Lance shakes his head at him as they run down the hall, "You do realize you did this exactly same thing when you first saw an Ewok." In one of their daily cuddle times, Lance had put on a few Star Wars movies since Keith had never seen them. Keith had screamed the first time the Ewok's appeared on the screen.

"They were going to eat them!" Keith insisted.

"They're cute little teddy bears!"

"Those things are _far_ from cute." Keith said in a low tone, "They were little demons."

"Oh my god." Lance shakes his head at him, "You are ridiculous. If they were demons, why did they help them defeat the Empire?"

"The enemy of your enemy is your friend. They probably attacked them as soon as the empire was destroyed." Keith concluded.

"Don't try to ruin that movie's perfect ending with you treacherous tongue!" Lance gasped. Stopping at the front of the Castle's doors, they quickly stepped out, noticing the Arusian leaping into a pile of bushes- pretending to have not been seen.

"Hello?" Allura inquired softly to it, "We know you are there. No harm will come to you."

It flipped out of the bushes, holding out its blade. It was even cuter in person, staring at them with such a tiny form and wide eyes. Lance and Hunk were putty in its hands, swooning at how cute it was. This kind of thing shouldn't be legal.

"Hey there little guy." Lance waved to him.

"Wait-" Keith threw an arm out to stop him, stepping between the two, "He could be dangerous. Drop your weapon." while he didn't bring out his sword, he still lifted his Bayard to the Arusian.

"No one takes Klyzap's weapon." The Arusian glared at Keith, lifting it a little higher to go against his orders. Keith looked ready to punt the thing and was thankfully stopped by Allura's calming hand.  
"Keith, put that away," she says. Stepping back with an unwilling sigh, he looked away. "Please kind sir, accept my humblest apologies."

Blinking a few times, as if he had expected a fight, the Arusian stands, "I am Klyzap, bravest of our warriors!" he proclaimed, "My Village is over Gazro hill. I have come seeking answers to why the Lion Goddess is angered with her followers." he said with a sad frown.

"Followers?" Coran asked.  
"...Lion Goddess?' Hunk is struggling to follow.

To explain, Klyzap motioned to a stone tablet engraved with what appeared to be a god with a lion's head, "The one the ancients spoke of."

Quickly catching on to the situation, Allura smiled, "What makes you think she's angered?"

"Destruction is everywhere. In the past few sun's fire has rained from the heavens, and a Giant has danced in the sky!" he announced.

Hunk leaned over to Lance, not so subtly whispering, "I think he is talking about Voltron."

"Yeah." Lance nodded, "I got that."

"You did not anger the Lion goddess," Allura says.

"How can you be certain?" Klyzap inquires with wide and unsure eyes.

"Because I am Allura." she explains with gentle eyes, "And this is my Castle."  
Gasping in realization, Klyzap fell to his knees, "Lion Goddess." he bowed to her.

"Please, bravest warriors. Take us to your village so we may meet our neighbors." Allura requested.

Keith wasn't too keen on this idea, "What about our mission to get off this planet and defeat Zarkon?" he demanded.

"Part of the Paladin's mission is to spread peace and Diplomacy. Arus has been our home for over 10,000 people deserve our thanks."

"Then I shall escort you back to my village, Lion Goddess!" Klyzap leaped to his feet, thrilled at the idea.

"Excellent, if you direct us, we shall give you a ride back to your Village." Allura smiles. Not sure what she meant, Klyzap agreed anyway, following them back into the Castle."Who are these men with you? Are they your warriors? Which is the bravest?" he inquired, his voice echoing within the walls.

"Me." Lance was quick to raise his hand, getting a startled look from Keith. Smirking at him, he snorted at angry tint of red Keith got in his cheeks. He hadn't seen that in a while.

"I too am the bravest amongst of my allies!" Klyzap explained, following them downstairs, admiring each sight he saw as he passed. This technology seemed to boggle his mind, but he kept talking, his smile never once faltering, "We have much in common! This is my weapon!" he held it up for Lance to see. Feeling as though he was talking to a child, Lance examined the blade as enthusiastically as he could.

"This is super cool!" he says, "It must be in great hands."

"It is, I assure you, for it is in mine." Klyzap is grinning brightly.

"Can we keep him?' Hunk pleads to Allura quietly behind them. Allura gives Hunk a small look but can't deny that the idea crossed her mind.

"Hey! Pidge! Shiro!" noticing the two exiting the room to head to their own lions, Lance called to them. "Wanna go check out Klyzap's village with us?"

"Kly-what?" Pidge leaped up when they saw Klyzap, not expecting him to be here. "Whoa! I- jeez, who is that."

I am Klyzap!" he proclaimed.

"Yeah I… get that." he nodded.

"He is a local of this planet." Allura explains, "We are going to visit his village. Would you two like to come along?"

They shared a quiet look, "Thanks, but no thanks. We need to find some prisoner information from the Galra crash site before we leave." Shiro announces, "We'll be heading over there."  
'You sure?" Hunk inquires.

They nod and push past them. "You guys have fun."

"Will do! Here Klyzap, this way." Lance motions for his new little friend to follow him into the hangar bay.

"The great Lion!" Klyzap is screamed when they approached Blue, "It is an honor!" he bows.

Lance chuckled, "Klyzap, this is blue." he says, "Blue, this is Klyzap."

"Klyzap can ride with me." Keith steps forward, face contorted to a not so happy scowl.

"I wish to travel with the bravest warrior!" Klyzap announced. Lance put a hand to his heart.

"... You heard the man Keith, he is coming with me."

"Wha- no! You don't know what he'll do." Keith says. "You aren't even the bravest-"

"Ah ah." Lance silences him, "He. Is. Coming. With. Me. Capiche?"

"I suppose we shall travel with Hunk then." Coran and Allura are already moving towards the Yellow lion.

"You guys-!" Keith calls to them, reacting a little too late to stop Lance and Klyzap from running to Blue with a cheer and starting it up. Groaning in frustration, Keith ran to his Lion to keep up with the others.

They followed behind Lance since Klyzap was with him and knew the way- but it didn't take long for them to realize Lance was goofing around when his Lion began to do flips and other tricks. Turning on their Lion's version of facetime, Keith snapped at them, "What are you doing?!"

"Giving Klyzap the full experience," Lance says with a cheeky grin. Klyzap is practically sitting on Lance's shoulder, clinging to his face. His expression of pure excitement matches that of a child's.

"This is amazing, great warrior! I am flying in the clouds!"

"Isn't it cool?" Lance grinned at him.

"Can we just get to this village already?" Keith's voice sounds a little forced.

Lance rolls eyes, "Fine, fine." lowering his lion, it wasn't hard to spot the village just a mile away.

Klyzap was dragging him out a second later, screaming with excitement. "My people will be so honored to meet all of you! I know they will. We will be sure to bring you all a great fest!"

"Food." Hunk drools a little.

"This way!" reaching up, Klyzap is tugging on Hunk and Lance's wrist, having them run with him "Right over this hill is my village other great warriors!"

Keith gripped his bayard tightly at the sight, making a rather ugly face. Coran stepped away from him a little, "Little hot-headed today, are we?"  
"No." he grunts.

"Come now, Keith." Allura insists, "I am positive the Arusians mean no harm. I do not see what has you so upset right now."

"I'm not upset." he says a little too quickly.

"Oh yes, of course you aren't." she frowns at him, quick to walk ahead. Watching her go, his eyes trail back to Klyzap- the little bugger that was still clinging to Lance's arm. Just let go of him you little insect.

"Coran! Allura! This place is awesome!' Hunk is calling to them from the top of the hill. Quick to join them, they were pleasantly surprised at the sight of the quaint little village below them.

Many Arusians, similar in appearance to Klyzap were shocked to see their approach, looking to their bravest warriors for an explanation.

'I have brought- THE LION GODDESS!" Klyzap deleted. They fell to their knees, bowing to her. Allura smiled nervously at them, insisting they rise to their feet.

Before they had left, she had brought a few gifts for the Arusian people, asking Hunk to help pass them out. They were some sort of odd spheres thing that Hunk couldn't explain, but if Allura said they were gifts, then he handed them out. With each other he gave, they little cuties grew happier with him, making the task oddly enjoyable.

...He was positive he was just giving them rocks though. Big, perfectly round rocks. But hey, if they like them.

On the other side of the village square, Lance was the talk of the town. Having claimed the titled, ' _Bravest warriors'_ all Arusians had come to talk with him. There was never a second they weren't around him, swarming him like a sea.

Keith found he could only stare at Lance from afar. It bugged him enough to glare viciously at the approaching Arusian, startling it. It fled towards Lance a second later, clinging to his leg.

Lance knelt down and comforted it, patting its back. "There there." he smiles kindly. Keith couldn't bare to look at the sight, his heart hammering painfully against his chest.

He was grateful when a ridiculously dressed Arusian stepped forward to distract him, "Oh Lion Goddess! I, King of the Arusians, humbly beg for your forgiveness." Before she can tell him that he had done nothing wrong, he calls forth a dancer, "Please have mercy on us and accept our traditional dance of apology!" he clapped, "Commence dance of apology! Oooh-Raa!"

The pink Arusian began to dance then, loud music coming from the band behind her. Staring at it for a few seconds, Allura says, "Please, there is no need for this."  
'Munto." the King commands, "Halt!" the dancer known as Munto froze in place, shaking slightly to stop from falling over, "The Goddess as refused the apology. Start the sacrificial fire." Flames erupted behind them, "We must throw ourselves in.

They shared similarly horrified gasps, gawking at the sight, "No!" Allura panicked when they started to lower an already tied up Arusian towards it. "No sacrifices!"

"So-" The King perked up, "We may process with the dance?"

Preferring that over the alternative, Allura nodded vigorously, "Yes."

Smiling, Munto began to continue her dance.

Lance, hearing Klyzap sigh, knelt down to him, "You okay, buddy?"

"Yes." Klyzap says dreamily, "I simply- she is beautiful, no?" he motions to Munto. Blinking once, then twice, Lance gasped.

"You like her?"

Klyzap's cheeks turned purple, which Lance assumed/pleaded to mean he was blushing. "Silence yourself, new friend." He insists quietly, "She must not hear."

"Oh, dude!" Lance is giggling, "That is super sweet."

"What is?" Hunk kneels next to him. It was kind of weird all three of them were on their knees and huddled around each other as Munto danced, but no one seemed to question it.

"Klyzap has a crush on Munto," Lance says.

"I would never crush Munto!" Klyzap says in a quiet hush.

"No- I mean, you love her." Lance corrects himself.

Klyzap covers his face, shaking his head, "Silence. Silence." he pleads, entire face purple by this point.

"Oh, my gosh~" Hunk was squealing, jumping up and down, "That is the cutest thing I've ever heard."

"You gotta tell her man." Lance nudges him.

"I cannot. She is- I am- she is a great dancer I am but a lonely warrior." he looked down at his feet sadly.

"You are the bravest warrior in your village." Lance huffed, "Who says you can't be together?"

Shifting slightly, Klyzap gasped, "Her dance is ending. Act customary." he stood straight.

Lance and Hunk followed, "...Did he mean act normal?" Hunk whispered to Lance.

"I think so."

Watching Munto twirl a few more times, she ended the dance by falling to her knees and bowing to Allura and the Paladins. The rest of the Arusians followed.

Not expecting this, Allura covers her mouth, "Oh my."

Lance can't help but feel a little awkward at this. No one should have to bow to him. It isn't like he's ever done anything that great anyway.

"Please rise!" Allura says, "I thank you for that, but I am not a great being worthy of your worship. I accidentally put you all in great danger. It is I who should be apologizing to you." As the Arusians raised their heads, Allura smiled at them, "I am Princess Allura, and these are the Paladins of Voltron. Although we originated from different worlds and have very, very _very_ different traditions, we wish to live alongside you as friends."

"But the mighty robotic angel…" The King inquired quietly, "Has it not come to destroy us for our immoral ways?"  
"Voltron?" she questions, "No, in fact, that mighty robot is here to protect you. Let it be known that Voltron will protect every innocent being throughout the universe!" Cheering, the Arusians approached them again, all excitedly moving to speak with Allura.

Keith watched from the side as these strange creatures surrounded his team. He couldn't help but keep a little guard up. Maybe alone these things couldn't do anything, but together who knows! They could- uh- the might- well, Keith wasn't sure what they could do, but they could still do it!

"Give me five." he watched Lance lift his hand out to one of them. Confused at the gesture, Lance explained to him. "It is a sign of friendship."

Smiling, the Arusian high fived lance. All of them began to swarm him after that, high-fiving, hugging, and clinging to him.

Keith felt irritated at the sight, recalling the 2nd rule to their agreement. He couldn't do any of those things with Lance, but these things could.

Turning away to avoid the frustration, he started to head back to the castle but was stopped when one of the Arusians lunged at him, wrapping its arms around his waist. He almost punched the thing barely able to stop himself when he realized Lance was watching.

"Uh…" He grits his teeth and pushed through this, "I don't usually hug strangers… man-" Keith struggled to force the thing off, "You are cuddly."

"Thank you," it said in a deep voice. Keith went pale, looking around desperately for help. He blushed when Lance began to laugh at him.

"This isn't funny, Lance!"

"I-I think it is!" he cackled.

"It is not!" throwing the Arusian off and turned to head back to the castle. He wasn't going to just stand here and be made the fool.

"Come on, Keith." Lance called to him, "They are nice."

"We obviously have a different opinion on this, Lance." he says over his shoulder.

"Here, mighty warrior!" Keith stopped when he noticed one Arusian, in particular, lifting something towards Lance's head. Prepared to draw out his bayard, his hand fell still when it placed on something along the lines of a crown.

It was weaved together with vines and sticks, curling around beautiful flowers and another herb like plants.

Lance lifted his hand up delicately to examine the gift, lips curling. "Thank you." his tone was too gentle- to him. Keith couldn't just leave this idiot alone, completely off his guard with things like these.

Huffing Keith stood there for a few moments before moving towards them. "I don't like this."

"Decided to stay?" Lance inquired, looking too wonderful in the crown to be real.

"Shut up." he folded his arms and leaned against the nearest tree, watching.

Lance had begun to help the Arusian pick plants, watching curiously as they grabbed the odd herbs. He plucked them delicately, enjoying the quiet peace this village had to offer. Noticing Lance's basket getting full, Keith couldn't help but take that chance to move towards him.

With these Arusians, he was struggling to find a place close enough to Lance that he felt comfortable…. Which he never did. No matter how close he stood next to Lance, he never once felt comfortable with the situation they were in.

Even in moments of peace like this, Keith knew Lance was still in danger. As a Paladin of Voltron, it made them the most targeted beings in all the universe. A sneak attack could happen at any moment- targeted to kill them… to kill Lance.

Gripping the basket tightly, he edged around the Arusians to stand behind Lance. "Hey.' he held it out to the blue Paladin. Taking it, Lance surprised Keith by motioning him to sit down. When he did, Lance handed him an Arusian.

He pictured a fish alien yelled, " _It's a trap_!"

"Lance!" he snapped when he started to snicker evilly.

"Careful Keith, that Arusian you are holding is a baby."

He thought this thing was a little too small compared to the others. It felt too delicate against his fingertips- as baby always did. Its wide eyes stared up at him innocently, reaching to grasp his black locks, tugging on them slightly. Keith grumbled a bit, adjusting the baby better into his grip, supporting its head.

"...Well, look at you." Lance whistled, startling him, "Didn't think you were one for kids."

"I'm not." he says quickly.

"Could have fooled me." he leaned back down to continue the plucking, "Best herb picker in all the land."

"Is that so?' Keith snorts.

"I'm better at this than you. You haven't picked any."

"I'm holding a _baby_." he reminds him, especially since Lance was the one who put it there.

"Oh yeah."

The Arusian starts to show them how to fold the herbs after a while, shaping multiple ones into objects and such as baskets.

"Klyzap sees his new friend has been given the traditional crown of warriors!" an all too familiar Arusian approached Lance with a similar flower crown on his head.

Keith hates the sight of their matching head gear.

"Is that what this is?" Lance inquires, "I like it."

"As do I." Klyzap agrees, sitting next to them to help the picking of herbs. From time to time, Keith would see Klyzap glance away from Lance to some other direction for a short period of time. Lance seemed to smirk every time this happened.

"You should invite her over here," Lance says casually. Keith wasn't sure who he was talking to at first, but Klyzap was stammering.

"N-No! Are you mad in the lungs new friend?"

"You mean Mad in the head?" Lance cringes.  
"Why would I say head?"

"...Nothing. Munto!" he lifts his head and calls over the Arusian who had been dancing for them earlier. "Come over here!" Klyzap looks ready to keel over, eyes wide in horror.

"New Friend, no!" he pleads.

"Ah, too late. Here she comes," he says with glee, wiggling his hips a bit. When the Arusian known as Munto approached, Klyzap- who was usually so loud- fell dead silent. "Hey, Munto." Lance grins, "How are you?"

"I- I am well great Warrior." she gushes at him. "Thank you for helping pick herbs. Oh, and you are caring for a young one. You are both so kind." she says in awe to both Lance and Keith.

"Kind," Lance repeats to Keith instantly, as if to point something out. Keith glares at him.

"Yeah, we are. But man, we are nothing compared to Klyzap." he says, "Have you met this guy? He is crazy strong! And Brave. Really nice fella."

Munto glances at Klyzap, smiling a little, "Hello Klyzap." she waves."M-Munto." he regards her. When he went quiet, Lance nudged him a bit. "Y-Your dance-!" he cut himself off when she flinched at his tone, "Your dance was… w-wonderful. You have really mastered it."

"M-Munto." he regards her. When he went quiet, Lance nudged him a bit. "Y-Your dance-!" he cut himself off when she flinched at his tone, "Your dance was… w-wonderful. You have really mastered it."

"Oh…" she twirled her foot a bit, "Thank you, brave warrior Klyzap." looking a little purple in the face, she giggled, and bowed, "I-I should go. Let us talk more!" she says and runs off, her embarrassment getting the best of her.

"That's my boy!" Lance high fives his little friend, grinning at the sight of him smiling lovingly in the direction Munto ran off to.

"Thank you, friend!" Klyzap says to Lance, jumping to his feet and kicking his heels together. "I shall go see how the lion Goddess is doing!" he ran off. Chuckling, he looked at Keith to see him frown in confusion.

"...What was that?' Keith frowned.

Lance frowned "..."

"..." Keith pursed his lips.

"You have no idea what was going on just now, do you?" he says.

Keith raises his eyebrow and shakes his head. The obliviousness of Keith truly had no bound.

"You are pitiful." Lance sighs. Noticing a familiar look Arusian coming, Lance took the baby from Keith's hands and handed it to her. She thanked him endlessly for watching her child for a short time while she was gone.

They smiled at her, watching her go in silence. "...These are nice people." Lance says reaching into a thick pile of herb like vines. "Still think they are some sort of savage race?"

"That has yet to be proven." Keith folds his arms. They felt a little empty suddenly with the baby gone.

"Seriously? You cradled one in your arms and you still doubt them? I'd almost call the incredible if I didn't think it was stupid." Lance snorts.

"Watch it, Mcclain."

Lance makes a face at him, retracting his hand. Finding he couldn't, he grumbled, "What the-" He pulled, but it seemed his the armor of his glove was entangled within the foliage. "Oh come on." he plucked at them.

"Stuck?"

"No." Lance pulls again, gaining to sign of release from this.

"Let me-"

"I got it, Keith." Lance elbows his hands away.

"Just let me help," Keith tries again.

"No, I said I'm fine." he pushes against him. Keith huffs and throws his hand forward, fighting Lance against this.

"Stop being difficult- you could already be out already!"

"Yeah, I could if you stopped distracting me!" Lance batted at the Red paladin's face with his free hand. Keith had to duck to avoid it, pulling and tugging at the vines in a rush.

"Look just- There!" Grabbing Lance's hand he tugged it out, "Was that so hard."

"Yes! It was! I could have done it myself!"

"You sure were taking your sweet time."

"Maybe I did that on purpose?"

"Hell you did, Lance."

"I-" his attention caught on Keith's hand, still clutching Lance's wrist. It was tight enough to hold him in place, but not enough to cause any damage- it was almost gentle. Lance bit his tongue at such horrid and treacherous thoughts to his own heart..

He almost doesn't even realize Keith is staring at him now- his eyes so dark that the threat of falling in was frightening. He leaned back a little, looking towards his knees to avoid them.

Slowly, painfully, he pulls his arm back towards him, slipping out of Keith's fingers. Keith doesn't fight this, allowing his hand to lower to the floor and stay there. Neith said a word.

The pain of whatever words poured from them would be too raw if they dare say anything now.

Most likely, though Lance would never admit it, they were feeling the same thing right now; That for a moment, just a single moment, they forgot Garrison and the events that occurred there.

A flashing second, and it was just them within this entire world.

Oh what a cruel emotion this was- betraying every thought running through Lance's brain. He should run is what it told him. Claim that Keith broke Rule two just now and leave- forget all of this and just turn away, saving whatever sliver of a chance he had at moving on from this.

But Lance didn't say a word.

He sat there, listening to Keith breath next to him. It was soft, barely a breeze.

"..." reaching for the basket of herbs, deciding that was enough for one day, he stumbled to his feet. He felt shaky. "I'll go bring this to the Arusians."  
Keith, who normally followed him in such cases, didn't move. Trying not to think of the action in any deeper way, Lance trudged away.

What was he doing?

Hitting the basket with his head a few time, he returned it to the Arusians who nodded to him, grateful.

He shouldn't have called Munto over- he realized with a sad thought. Klyzap should be happy, but love was a curse as much as it was a blessing. He should at least warn him of that before anything too serious happened between the two.

Not that he didn't think they would be great together… but he thought Keith and him had been great together too.

"LANCE!"

Turning when he heard Hunk screaming, he could feel the ground beginning to shake, "What the-"  
"Dude, we gotta go!" Hunk was pulling on his arm.

"What?" he stumbled forward, "What is going on?!"

"Look!" Hunk pointed to the sky. Something large, like a meteor was making its way into the planet's atmosphere. "Don't know what that is man, but it is coming this way!"

Shocked, Lance began to scream to the Arusian, "Run! Everyone get to cover!' Allura was screaming with him, commanding the Arusians to stay inside.

"New friend!" Klyzap ran to him, "What foe is this from the sky?!" he demands.

"Don't worry Klyzap, I got this." he noticed Munto standing behind Klyzap then, quietly clinging to the end of his knife strap, looking nervous. Lowering himself to one knee, he clapped a hand on Klyzap's shoulder, "Get Munto to safety. Watch over her."  
Startled, Klyzap straightened and nodded, "Of course! Fight well new friend."

"Lance." he corrects. Klyzap blinks. "The name is Lance."

Shocked, Klyzap smiled, "Lance!" he says, liking the sound of that, "Fight well, my new friend, Lance!"

High fiving, he watched Munta and Klyzap runoff, hand in hand. There was no way he could tell Klyzap to be wary of that, dammit.

Sighing, he turned to run to his lion, seeing Hunk and Keith already getting inside. Shooting into the sky, the shot towards the direction the projectile crashed, surprised to find Pidge and Shiro already there.

They seemed to be pinned down by this giant robot! It was insane!

"Give them cover fire to get out of there!" Keith ordered

"On it!" Lance says, taking fire. As they did this, Hunk snuck up on the monster from behind.

"Check this out! Battle Lion, headbutt!" he slammed his Lion into the back of the machine, knocking it over. Using that as their chance, Pidge and Shiro rose up to meet them.

'You guys okay?" Keith asked.

"Still alive for now." Shiro huffed, "Thanks for the save."

"Are the Galra behind this?" Hunk asked wearily as the giant machine rose to its feet.

"I think so." Shiro says, "But I've never seen anything like this."  
"What what's the plan?" Lance asked, "Shot at it with everything we've got? Take out its weapon? Call it names?"

"If we want to take this monster down there is is only one way to do it; Form Voltron!" Shiro commanded and they shot up into the sky.

* * *

 **0000-0000**

Keith had formed a sword. Of course, being Keith, the sounded like something that would obviously happen- but the moment still left shivers along Lance's spine.

The battle with that monster had been intense- most of it being with them on the losing end. They had no strategy against it, being attacked on two fronts from the beast itself and it's flying orb.

Shiro was their saving grace when he announced he recalled fighting the machine before and instructed them on how to beat it- but that still only got them so far. For a few seconds, Lance had thought it was over for them when that war machine leaped at them.

Keith has something about his Lion trying to tell him something. In his panic, Lance snapped at him to do whatever it was, which Keith did.

With a battle cry that still echoed in Lance's ears, Keith had managed to form his lion into a long edged blade. It sliced the thing in half, causing it to explode right before their eyes.

In the end, Keith was bewildered as his own actions, unable to really explain what just happened to any of them. He just… had a feeling.

Feeling or not, they had somehow managed to win the day!

"Yay!" Lance pumped his fist. "That was awesome!"

Returning to the village to inform them of the good news, all of them shared a cheer. They lifted Keith into the air like a hero, tossing him a few times. He was yelling in protest the entire time, calling for the other paladins to get the Arusians to stop.

"Nah, it is probably like a tradition to them or something." Hunk laughed.  
"Just go with it, Keith." Pidge snickered.

"Shiro!" Keith called. Shiro snorted a little into his hand.

"Don't wanna go against an entire culture's tradition." he says, "It would be rude."

'Rude my ass!"

Lance had to turn his head away and cover his mouth to hide his smile. Same old Keith.

Returning to the castle to get some sleep, they got a chance to wave off the prisoners they had rescued before. They seemed nice and thanked them as they left.

"We never thought we would have the chance to see our families again," One admitted, "Thank you- you have given us hope." he smiles, "You have given the universe hope."  
A little touched, Lance went to dinner feeling content with the day. And the best part: Pidge came skipping in singing, "Space dad, space dad~" He had been the only one to not call Shiro that, but I guess that little talk or whatever they just had convinced him to give it a try.

"Pidge, come on." Shiro pleaded with them, "Not you too."  
"Too late. You have won the title, Champion." They smirk at him. He frowns, sitting down without a word.

"Well done out there gang." Coran says in a chipper tone, "But we can't end the day just yet! We got a party to plan!"

Lance paused from consuming his food goo, "Party?" he perked up. He loved parties!

"Princess Allura has invited the Arusians tonight for a festive party to thank them for letting us stay here so long. The Arusians even want to send us off with a big farewell."

"Is that wise?" Shiro questioned.

"Of course it is! They mean well." Coran assures him. "So come on! Get ready! We got a lot to do before they arrive!"

Giving each other quick looks, Lance can't help but grin at Hunk, "Party time?" he holds his fist out. Hunk pumps it.

"Party time~!"


	10. The dance that just keeps on spinning

"Party. Party." Lance began to dance excitedly when the Arusians had started to file into the Castle. Mesmerized by the Castle's interior, they waved joyfully to Lance.

"Great Warrior!"

"Welcome! Klyzap, hey buddy!" Lance ran to him when he entered, "Is Munto here?"

"S-She is arriving shortly," Klyzap glanced behind him towards the bridge, "Thank you for welcoming us, Great Warrior Lance."

"You can just call me Lance,"

"I did,"

"You don't need to add the _great warrior,_ Klyzap," he paused, "Though it is appreciated."

"Lance," Klyzap tested. Seeing that his tall friend was not upset with using his name so formally, Klyzap grinned, "Lance!"

"Klyzap," Lance mimics him, "Come on in! Make yourself at home!" noticing one of the drinks floating around on the moving trays Coran has set up, he handed one to Klyzap. Taking a large gulp, Klyzap cheered.

"This is delicious!"

"Yeah?" Lance forgot to grab himself one. He would have to later. "Oh hey look- There is Munto." he motioned to the pink Arusian. "This is your chance, go talk to her."

"R-Right now?" Klyzap panicked.

"Yes, right now. She is alone. Go before some other guy Arusian tries to." Lance nudged him. Stumbling forward Klyzap approached Munto as stiffly as a robot, eyes wide with panic. Lance watched with a slight chuckle- the poor guy.

"Lance." Keith said behind him. Turning to the red paladin, he was surprised to be handed one of the cups from the trays. Not sure why Keith had grabbed him one, he took it anyway.

"Oh uh… thanks." he tried to be as polite and mature as he could about the situation, but as the hours passed, it was getting harder to look Keith in the eyes. It wasn't like he was worried about anything but- those eyes had been his downfall during Garrison.

Not saying that he was worried that would happen again here! No! Not at all. He was just being cautious of it- that was all.

Swishing his drink around a little, he cleared his throat, "… Good party, huh?"

"Yeah."

"..." He tapped his glass awkwardly. Noticing the King approaching Allura, he cleared his throat to catch everyone's attention.

"Great Warriors and Arusians! In honor of our new friends, we have prepared a performance in their honor!" he announced. If this was like the dancing, it should be interesting.

With that said, several Arusians ran forward, climbing on top of each other like a pyramid. Five Arusians seemed to combine to make one person, while two formed a second.

"We are Voltron!" One of the five proclaimed.

"We are the evil robot!" the other said.

"Oh my god…" Lance couldn't believe his eyes when they started to reenact the fight from earlier today. It was kind of touching, but also really cute.

"The monster fell from the sky. It was an epic battle but Voltron was victorious!" The king said, only to pale when the Arusians forming Voltron fell over in defeat, "No." he corrects them, "I said _Voltron_ was victorious."

Quick to get back on their feet, they kicked at the other one, making him fall over. The Arusians let out a cheer.

Lance turned to laugh into his hand, "So…" he smirked at Keith, "Still consider these guys a threat?"

Keith gave him an angry pout, "They approached the castle with weapons."

"Yeah, a sword the size of a knife we use at dinner." Lance scoffed, "Not to mention, and I will forever repeat this, they barely come up to your knee- and that is only if they are tall Arusians. Just admit it, you jumped the gun."

"I did not- they could still have been a threat."

"Yeah, sure."

Allura was handing the King a device on the stairs, explaining that if the Arusians ever needed help, they could use that device to contact them. Taking it, the King lifted it into the air.

"Oooh-raa!" he exclaimed. The Arusians pumped their fists into the air.

"Eeeeeee!"

"We oughta get something like that." Hunk approached them

'Like what?' Lance inquired.

"You know, like a cheer." Hunk grinned.

"Hmm." Lance liked the idea of that, "Hey yeah. Okay, how about this one. I say Vol and you say-?"

Keith blinked rapidly when Lance looked at him, "uh… Voltron?"

Lance frowned, "No. Nonono, the cheer includes the instructions. I say Vol and you say~?"

The obliviousness that was Keith had never changed, not even since leaving Earth because he says, "...Voltron?" with a little frown.

"No, you say Tron. Do it with me. I say Vol and you say-"

"I say Vol and you say-" Keith repeated.

"Wha- no, don't copy me. Just say tron again." Lance ordered, "I say Vol and you say-?"

"Voltron... tron?"

Lance threw his arms up in defeat, "We'll work on it." he assured him. Turning he took a sip of the drink Keith had gotten for him. The taste was horrendous. Struggling to keep it down, Lance twisted and turned, gagging loudly, "Coran! What is this?" he demanded, shifting towards him.

"Oh, this is Nunvill, the nectar of the gods." he explained after his own sip of it.

"It tastes like hotdog water and feet." He barfed

"Yeah, it makes a wonderful hair tonic as well." sprinkling a few drops on his mustache, Lance watched in horror as it grew. The sight being too much for his stomach to bare, he covered his mouth and turned away.

Hunk and Keith watched curiously as he stood, shifting from side to side to get a better look at him, amazed at the different shades of green his face morphed into. His very stomach was twisting within, threatening to burst from this horrible stuff.

"Lance?" Keith poked his shoulder. He fell over.

Peeking at him from above, Hunk and Keith glanced at each other, not sure exactly what to do. "...You okay buddy?' Hunk inquired.

"Ugh…" he clutched his stomach, rolling onto his stomach, "I'm never drinking purple alien water again."

"..." Hunk slowly put his cup back onto the tray passing by, "Noted." he was willing to test his taste buds if Lance reacted this badly.

Helping him to his feet, they let Lance lean against a wall for a little while, leaving him there to go talk with a few Arusians. Allura has suggested they talk with as many as they could to practice their diplomatic part of being Paladins.

Lance was great with talking with people, as was most of the Paladins… but how in the world was Keith going to survive this? He was horrible with talking to other people.

Deciding it was best to move to keep himself going, Lance stumbled around aimlessly. Stomach still feeling ablaze, he noticed Klyzap running up the stairs. Curious to what he was doing, he followed.

He smiled to find a few dancing Arusians on the next floor of the ballroom, "Look at you guys go." he chuckled. Noticing Keith on the other side, he snorted when he saw the Arusians pulling on his arms, trying to get him to dance with them.

He was refusing with everything he had, pulling against their iron grip. "Hey, Keith." he teased, causing the other to freeze, "What's the problem? Don't know how to dance?"

"No." Keith grumbled, "I just prefer not to."

"Oh, I get it. Chicken." he mimicked said animal.

The Arusians were mesmerized by his dance, copying it. Not intending this, but going with it, Lance started to cluck around. "Chicken. Chicken!"

Keith's fists were shaking, wavering between walking away and punching Lance straight in the face. "I'm warning you-"

"You are just jealous because I am a better dancer."

"I am not-"

"Indeed, the blue hero is a much better dance than the red." One Arusian concurs.

"Hear that Keith?" Lance pointed at him, "I'm a better dancer."

Keith stormed forward at the challenge. "Oh yeah?!"

"Ooh, back up! The beast is coming through with his big old monster feet!" Lance stomped heavily into the ground to show his point.

"Lance." Keith barked

Lance snickered, having a little fun with. Twirling once, mimicking the Arusian's dance, he motioned to Keith to give it a try. As angry was he was a second ago, he suddenly seemed a little put out of place and stood awkwardly amongst the crowd. Looking around, watching the Arusians cautiously, he hesitantly moved his feet with them.

It was horrible, honestly. His body was stiff, shoulders squared all the way up to his ears. Keith really was not one who danced often- if ever.

It was strange, as much as Lance loved to dance, he couldn't recall ever taking Keith dancing with him back at Garrison. It had just never come to mind. He was almost grateful he didn't after seeing this sad sight.

"How are you doing Keith?" He didn't bother to even look back at him.

"Fine." Keith glanced at him. Everything about this situation was utterly unfair to him. Why did he have to start dancing with these things? Why did Lance of all people have to challenge him to it?

If that wasn't the worst of it- why did every Arusian have to look at Lance like he was some godly figure gracing them with his presence? They couldn't pull their eyes away from the way he moved, turning their bizarre way of dancing into the very definition of elegance.

It was very distracting in Keith's battle to prove Lance wrong- but the way he would swing his hips was- and his sinfully long legs-

Keith's head was spinning. Maybe he was just spinning too much? Was he even spinning? He was just kind of standing there, gawking at Lance. Start moving before he notices!

Tripping forward, he ran into an Arusian. It yelled in surprise.

Lance laughed at the sight as he twirled a few of the Arusians, following the way they moved their arms and legs. "Come on Keith, it isn't that hard."

"Shut up."

"Just go with the flow," he stomped his feet into the ground with the beat of the drums. Keith was doing the same behind him- or at least trying to. He was stepping on every Arusian's toes as he passed them, causing them to cry out and make Keith panic, stumbling from side to side.

"Uh- Sorry. Didn't mean to- Jeez!" Of course he was starting to get angry from this. Lance was sure he wouldn't be able to keep his anger in check and keep going- he just had to wait him out. Then he could brag about it to him for the rest of his life- sounded like a goal.

When the music stopped, they all cheered. "Well done Warriors!" Munto approached them. "Quickly! The next dance!" she called to the musicians. "We shall show you our most beloved dance." she explains. A different tempo began to sound and Lance noticed the Arusian's splitting off into partners.

Grabbing the closest Arusian he could, he had to bend down as low as possible to dance with it. He didn't mind, liking how brightly it smiled at him, giggling cheerfully. Following it as a guide, snorting to see Keith struggling very hard with this dance in particular, he was shocked when suddenly they switched partners.

"Oh? Is this one of those switching one? Cool!" he took a hold of the next Arusian without much complaint. Keith was yelling in frustration on the other side. Lance had this battle in the bag.

"Lance!" Klyzap seemed to be his next partner within this sea of dancing Arusians.

"Hey buddy!" he spun him,

"You dance well! You could be a top dancer to Arusian people!" he compliments.

"Aww, thanks. You dance with Munto yet?"

Klyzap lowered his gaze, "No. I do not know how to ask her. Klyzap's dancing is terrible."

"You seem fine to me." Lance insisted. "Here-" he spotted Munto, "I got a plan, follow my lead." He pulled Klyzap to the left, turning and weaving amongst the dancing Arusians till they were close to where Munto was dancing.

"Alright, when we switch partners, I'll push you towards her," he explained. Klyzap straightened and nodded nervously.

"A-Alright."

Taking a few more dancing steps, Lance could hear the tempo change, "Ready? Here is your moment." they both turned and spun to their next partner. Mid-turn, Lance could see Klyzap run into Munto, catching her when she fell off balance at his sudden approach. Sharing a nervous laugh, they smiled.

Mission accomplished- Oof!

Turning within the dance, he expected to start dance with another Arusian as he had before, instead he ran into a paladin. A red Paladin.

Caught in Keith's arm, the two stopped dead in their tracks, the music and dancers still moving rapidly around them.

"Dance! Dance!" The Arusians were cheering. By their command, and unable to even think on their own accord in their panicked states, the two moved in small circles. Keith's arm was caught around Lance's waist as his own arms rested on Keith's shoulders.

Their gazes could not be more startled, chained to each other in a way that made it impossible to look away. Dizzied by the spinning, Lance lowering his head, quietly gasping for air. He found himself staring at Keith's chin, then his neck, feeling horribly hot.

His adam's apple stuck out as much as Lance remembered it did- he had kissed that spot more times than he could count, treating it with such care- loving the way it moved whenever Keith swallowed or talked.

He gulped a the realization that his thoughts were taking him to dangerous territory- he couldn't breath. Everything felt tight enough to make him tremble when Keith tightened his grip.

Oh god...

Keith's eyes were still focused on him, turning Lance's legs to jelly.

Everything was hitting him too hard- this situation. Their proximity, Keith's raven hair- the way he parted his lips when he lost focus… Lance should pull away before this got out of hand.

'...Is this breaking rule two?" Keith broke the silence, eyes wide and pleading. His breath brushed against Lance's cheek and he shivered.

"No." he says quietly. Why didn't he say yes? He should have! This was an obvious breaking of a simple rule that HE made up!

When the time came to switch partners, Lance pulled away so fast he almost knocked the next Arusian over, having to scoop them up and spin to act as if he meant to do that. It didn't mind and cheered, causing a few others to clap at them.

Keith was still standing in the spot Lance left him, hand extended out slightly, mouth hanging open. Closing it, he stepped back, "I'm… I'm done dancing." he turned and left before anyone could stop him.

Lance had won the challenge in the end.

Yeah…

Lowering himself to his knees, the Arusian he held was puzzled, "Great Warrior?" it inquired.

"Wh-What?" he asked quietly.

"Your face…"

Lance lifted his hand to touch his cheek, "Is there something on my face?"

"No… but it is a brilliant red. Are you ill?"

Lance bit his lip and shook his head, "N-No. No I'm fine. I'm fine."

* * *

 **00000-0000**

Allura watched joyfully from above the ballroom. It had been so long since they had this many guests within the Castle. It reminded her of when she was a child and traveled with her Father to far away planets, welcoming the residents within to discuss politics and strengthen their bond with the people.

While it wasn't quite the same, it still filled her with nostalgic warmth. "Look at them." she says to the mice by her side, "The new Paladins of Voltron. The fate of the Universe rests on their shoulders." Watching Keith push his way through the crowd, looking frustrated, he paused when an Arusian handed him a drink.

Usually one to turn down whatever attempts they made to interact with him, he snatched the glass away, desperate to wash away whatever was on his mind. Chugging down the drink, he gagged and spit it at Hunk.

Hunk reeled back, turning away to yell, "MY EYES!" he shot forward, using the food they were passing out as eyeballs. The Arusians burst into laughter.

Keith, who hadn't prepared himself for the joke, especially from Hunk, snorted, grinning goofily. Hunk was gaping at him, pointing at him in shock, as if he had never seen Keith laugh before. Allura wasn't surprised if he hadn't.

But still… the very sight of the scenario made her worried for the universe. Could she really rely on Paladin so young and inexperienced?

Sighing, she straightened, "I must portray strength." she told herself, "No one must know how worried I truly am over the fate of our mission." when the mouse squeaked next to her, she tensed, realizing they had heard everything she just said. "Let's keep that a secret." she requested. The mice jumped down to the railing. Curious, she blinked, "Who else has secrets?"

The mice squished the big mouse's cheeks.

"Hunk tried to eat what?" she chuckled, "That does sound hilarious." a second mouse stepped forward, changing its hair a bit. "Lance?"

The serious face mouse stepped forward next, and the two of them leaned towards each other, forming a heart with their tails.

Allura almost fell over, gasping, "What? No! No way!" she looked to the two in shock, "Are you serious?" she couldn't see Lance, but Keith was close enough for her to gawk at him.

The mice were quick to catch her attention, showing a broken heart with their tails. "They broke up? Oh but they- I mean I suppose-" she was thrilled at this news, feeling like a giddy schoolgirl, "That is completely adorable. They would be perfect for one another. Why in the world would they break up?" she demanded.

The mice shrugged, they hadn't figured that part out yet.

"Oh," Allura frowned, "But I guess that makes sense. They do seem to hate each other now."

The stern mouse stepped forward again, giving goo goo eyes to the Lance mouse. "...Except for Keith," she smirked. "Then… perhaps Lance still feels the same too? I should look into this." she decided. "Anything else?" she should talk gossip to the mice too often. If she had earlier, she would have appreciated any interaction Keith and Lance had earlier.

Finally, one of the smallest mice stepped forward, giving her large eyes, blushing a bit. Alluraspit on her drink, "Pidge is a what?!"

* * *

 **00000-00000**

Feeling unable to dance, Lance retreated to the lower level of the ballroom, his heart heavy.

Finding Hunk, Lance took another glass of the stuff floating around. It was nasty, but he needed to drink something to quench the dryness in his throat. "Hey."

"Hey," Hunk says, staring at his drink. "Man I hate this stuff."

"Yeah, me too. But I guess we have to get used to this space juice. Who knows when we'll get back home again."

"Yeah, if ever." Hunk sighed

"What do you mean?" he frowned,

"I mean, if this Zarkon guy has been around for 10,000 years, who knows how long it will take for us to fix it. If we live."

"Right… that."

"Hey, what do you think the chances are of us landing on a nacho planet?" Hunk inquired.

Lance chuckled at him, "Well, there is only one planet with Varadero Beach, Pizza Shack looking over the water, and the garlic knots-" the more he began to list things, the more Lance missed Earth, "My Mom's hugs…" feeling oddly emotional, wondering if the nunvill was getting to him, he spotted Keith across the ballroom. Too many emotions were hitting him too hard for him to take. "I'm sorry." he looked down, sniffing when he felt the urge to cry hitting him, "I think this nunvill is getting to me. I gotta go." quick to run, he shot up the stairs before Hunk could stop him.

Ugh, he hated this!

Why couldn't he just be stuck on an alien planet in peace and not worry about every little thing like everybody else? Sure, they were all in the same situation, but Lance seemed to be the only one that was struggling to get through this.

Sighing, Lance trudged his way into the projection room. It least from here he could see Earth… even if it was just a speck on a screen.

"Mind if I join you?' Coran appeared from the halls. Shocked he was there, Lance turned to him.

"Oh… Coran." he says.

"You seem a little down." the older man notes, "Is there a problem?"

Lance sighed, "...How far away from Earth do you think we are?"

"Let's take a look." turning on the panel, the map of the universe appeared before them. "Earth is over here" Coran pointed to it, "And we're all the wayyyyyyyyyy overrrrrrrrr~" he started to spin the map. It was going and going and going-

Lance couldn't believe how far they really were. "You ever notice how far away the planets are from each other, Coran." Lance realized sadly, the fact turning into a cold hard reality for him.

"Yes. Haven't you been paying attention?"

"Yeah but I mean-" Lance got to his feet to approach the milky way, touching it delicately with his finger tips, "They are really far away. Like, Earth- it is so far, I can't even see it. T-The blue oceans, the white clouds… green grass." it broke his heart to think about it, "I can't see any of it." He could see in his dreams sometimes, but whenever he awoke, it was hard to remember that he wasn't there anymore. He was somewhere else, too far away to even tell his family he was okay.

That was the part that was killing him. They just left- without a word. His family would get a notice that he was missing class, and then it would change to that Garrison couldn't find him at all. Without so much of an explanation they would just have to deal with the fact that Lance was gone and wouldn't even know where.

And if he died out here, he could never tell them.

"You miss earth," Coran says gently, "I understand. I miss Altea." the hand Coran put on his back was comforting, and Lance sent him a grateful nod.

"I know we are suppose to be brave paladin defenders of the universe or whatever… but honestly, I just want to go home."

Coran nodded, "If I could go home I would." he admits.

"I miss rain and splashing in puddles.

"Rain?"

"Yeah, it's water that falls from the sky."

"Oh, we had that on Altea- only it wasn't water, more like rocks! Razor sharp and boiling hot!" he laughed, "They could knock a hole right in your head."

"Sounds… fun?" Lance cringed.

"Yeah." Coran sniffed. "Well Lance, I can't show you Earth- but I can be here if you need to talk." he put a hand on the younger man's shoulder.

"Thanks Coran."

Pulling at his mustache a bit, he gave Lance a little look, "So… I do have one question for you."

"Hmm? What's that?"

"Well, I was just taking a stroll on the upper levels and saw the Arusians dancing… I just so happened to see Keith and you. It was quite a sight, the two of you."

Feeling the blood rising to his face, Lance looked away, "Oh that? That was uh-" he chuckled nervously.

"You two were quite the pair." Coran smiled, "Haven't seen two as intensely focused as you both were. Made my heart go all a flutter."

Lance felt uneasy hearing that, "What do you mean?"

"Well, you have feelings for Keith, don't you" Coran says slyly.

"NO!" Lance yelled in a panic. Startled, Coran took a step back. Realizing he raised his voice, Lance flinched, "I… I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell that. I just-" his mind was pounding, too many thoughts to think straight. "I don't know."

Coran seemed to realize something just then, "...Perhaps not anymore, but you loved him once?" he guessed. When Lance took in a heavy gulp of air he knew he was correct. "I see." he nodded. "It must be hard being on the same team then…"

Lance sighed and nodded, "Yeah. It is."

"When did you two split apart?"

"A year ago."

"Then it is all still very fresh." Coran cringed, rubbing his chin, "I'm sorry, Lance. You do not have to tell me any more."

Grateful Coran didn't ask the details to their breakup, or the very relationship itself, Lance thanked him, "I appreciate it, Coran."

Patting Lance's back, Coran turned off the Universe map and motioned for Lance to follow, "Come along, I'm sure the others will start to wonder where we went."

"Gotcha." trudging after him, Lance lifted a hand to the small little robot Pidge had brought with them from the Galra ship. "Hey Rover." it was a cute little floating device that had been following Pidge around.

It floated past him without so much of even a beep. Frowning, Lance glanced back down the hall, expecting to see a green Paladin. When he didn't he asked, 'Hey, where is Pidge?"

Turning to look at Rover, he noticed it rising up to the crystal structure above. Pressing itself to it, Rover turned red and started to blink.

It wasn't Rover.

Gasping, dreading shooting through him, Lance recognized this type of device. It wasn't exactly like the stuff on Earth, but he could spot a bomb any day.

"Coran Look out!" he dove forward just as the machine exploding, erupting within the entire room.


	11. I'll do whatever it takes

Coran awoke with a groan, his body shaking from pain coursing through his body. With shaky hands, he forced himself to his knees, aimlessly squinting around. Dust and debris clouded his vision, showing clear signs that the room had been utterly wrecked.

He turned at a heavy sound of metal screeching against the ground. With no power, he watched a few hands forcing the passage open, the paladins pouring in with panic clear on their expressions.

"Coran!" Allura swiftly followed, running to him.

"Princess…" they helped him to his feet, scanning him over for injuries.

"What happened?" they demanded.

"I do not know," he admitted. He recalled leaving the control room and then Lance screaming his name- after that, nothing. As the dust began to clear from the room, they were horrified at the devastation. The crystal that once illuminated the room in a gentle glow was now gone, shattered upon the ground.

"The crystal-" They ran forward but froze.

They saw him then, thrown across the floor and motionless; Lance.

Keith's feet were already moving before any of them could utter a gasp of shock, "LANCE!" he slides to his side, scrambling to turn him over. "Lance? Lance!?" Keith lifted him as gently as he could, shaking him slightly in hopes of stirring him. When he didn't respond, Keith gasped a few times, air struggling to enter his lungs, "He's barely breathing!" he yelled to Shiro.

The Black paladin dropped to his knees next to them, running his fingers below Lance's ear to feel for a pulse, "...He's in bad condition." Lance seemed to be shaking, but with closer examination, Shiro realized it wasn't him. It was the one holding him. "Keith…"

He was furious- desperation set deep in his eyes. "Who did this?" he seethed, a dark threat looming behind his eyes.

"Lance needs immediate medical attention! We have to get him to the infirmary!" Pidge insisted.

"Without the crystal, the castle has no power," Allura tells them

"Then what do we do?!" Keith demanded. A second later, the King of the Arusians ran into the room, sweating and gasping.

"Lion warriors! Our village is under attack! We need help!"

"What?" Allura couldn't believe her ears. Who would be attacking them at this very moment? And at a time like this no less?! "We can not get to the lions without power. They are sealed within the hangers. We are defenseless."

"Will you not help us?" The kind squeaked in terror.

"We'll help you," Shiro assured him. "We just-" Lance groaned softly and Keith tightened his grip, lifting his head to lay on his chest.

"Shiro…" he says weakly, "What do we do?" the terror in Keith's voice was numbing.

The thing was- Shiro wasn't sure what they could do.

Coran pulled away from Hunk, coughing, "We have to get a new crystal to get the castle working again." he explains. "But, to get a new crystal we need a ship."

"The pod I was loading!" Pidge gasped in realization, "We can use that. I left the bay door open."

"I can use the scanner on the pod to see if there is a Balmara near by. Hunk, you come with me, I'll need someone strong to help carry the crystal." Coran nodded.

Hunk glanced to Lance hesitantly then asked, "A Balmara?"

"It is where the crystals come from-" with no time to lose, Coran motioned for them to follow, "I'll tell you about it on the way!"

Hunk didn't move immediately, eyes slowly trailing to the Red paladin, "Keith!" Hunk pointed to him, "You better watch over him with your life- you got that?! If I come back and he isn't breathing- I'm going to rip your heart out!"

Keith could barely manage an answer and nodded, his body gently rocking as he held Lance. "Hurry and get that crystal."

"You can count on me!"

When they were gone, Shiro narrowed his eyes to the frightened Arusian King. With the given situation, his hands were tied. There was only one thing he could think of to handle both situations simultaneously.

Bracing himself for the anger he would receive from what he was about to say, he turned to the red paladin, "Keith." he began cautiously as if speaking to a wild beast, "I need you to go see what is going on at the Arusian village."

"What?" Keith roared, shocked that Shiro could even suggest such a thing "I can't! Lance-"

"Lance needs to get the infirmary as quick as possible." Shiro agreed, "But we can't do much without that crystal."

"Exactly! So why-"

"You are faster than me Keith, but I am stronger than you. You can get down to that village within twice the time that I can, but you can't carry Lance all the way to the infirmary. I can. I'll tend to him the best I can then stand watch over the castle."

"I can carry Lance!" Keith is enraged- but not about the comment about Shiro being stronger than him. He could see how much Keith wanted to say no- he was even expecting him too. "But…" he grit his teeth and looked down to the one he as holding. Keith knew he had a point but- "Shiro, I can't." he almost begged, brushing his thumb over Lance's bruised cheek.

"The faster you help those Arusians, the faster you can get back," Shiro promised him. "I'll watch over him till you get back."

Allura watched with baited breath, half expecting Keith to explode. When he didn't and instead gently handed Lance to Shiro, possibly the only one he would fully trust in this situation, she sighed with relief.

"Be careful," Keith said when Shiro adjusted Lance in his arms.

"I will," Shiro promised.

Nodding a few times, Keith bit his lip, hesitant to move. "I'll be back…" Allura watched Keith reach a hand towards Lance, gentle brushing a bang from his face.

Ah… so the mice were right after all.

He did love him.

"Go. I got him." Shiro nodded to them.

'I'll go with you." Allura offered, "I'm the one who brought this on the poor Arusians."

Nodding silently in agreement, knowing the more help the faster the work was done, they ran off. Glancing over his shoulder one last time, Keith picked up the speed. He had to get this done with and fast.

 **0000-0000**

When Allura and Keith finally were able to get to the village, they were shocked to see the entire place ablaze. "Great Warrior!" Klyzap was running to them, "Thank goodness you have come!"

"How did this happen!?" Allura yelled over the shouts of the people.

"Look!" the King pointed downward, "Attackers!"

They could faintly see them through the flames- Galra soldiers. Were they behind this? Gritting his teeth, Keith ran forward,

"Stay here! I'm getting a closer look!" he dove over the side, using the hill to slide down to the village below. He was going to tear these things apart for getting in his way! He didn't have time for this!

"Keith!" Allura called after him.

Pushing through the village, careful to stay out of sight and simultaneously out of the flames, Keith pulled out his sword when he got close enough to see the soldiers. His grip was shaking against his bayard- struggling to keep his calm assess the situation before lunging out there.

They stood together, neither of them moving. When a large pillar behind the soldiers fell, the ground shook slightly, and so did they.

"What?" Something wasn't right. They began to fall then, landing on their side as if they weighed nothing. When the last soldier fell to its side, Keith began to realize something. He was just looking at empty armor.

None of the Galra were really here.

Lance.

"Oh no.," he whispered. "They tricked us!" he turned and started to run back.

Lance!

"It was just a diversion to separate us and thin the castle defenses!" Lance! Lance! Lance! He shouldn't have left! He should have stayed! "Hold on, Lance… I'm coming!" using his jet pack he shot back up the hill, tugging on Allura's arm to follow him. "Come on!"

They ran as fast as their feet could carry them, pushing through trees and hills as desperately as they could. When they approached the bridge, they barely got halfway across before the lights on the castle turned back on.

Instead of a serene blue, they were a dark purple.

 _No._

From the top of the castle, a particle barrier began to appear behind it. Attempting to make a run for it and squeeze inside, they were just a second too late and it closed on them. Keith hit it hard, hands gripping it like a vice.

"We're too late…" he choked, "NO!" he slammed his hands against it.

"They have control of the castle." Allura shook her head, "They're taking Voltron. They're taking everything!"

"Can we break through the barrier?" Keith demanded, pulling out his sword. He had to get in there!

"No." she shook her head, "And if they can put up the barrier it must mean they have the crystal. Which means they'll be able to fly the ship. We have to stop them!"

"How are we going to do that?" his mind could only think of Lance. He was injured in there- dying from that explosion! If they had him they could just- just- "What do we do Allura?!" he screamed.

"I don't know!" she screamed back.

" _Keith…"_ they froze when a voice called to them, " _Can you hear me?"_ it was coming from their communication device.

"Pidge?" Keith gasped. "Is that you? Where are you?"

" _I'm inside the castle. Sendak has taken over the place and is preparing for launch._ " There was a small pause from them, " _Keith… he's got Lance and Shiro._ "

Keith grit his teeth, slamming his fist against the barrier once more. "Can you get to them?"

" _I don't know… If this place takes off, I don't think it'll matter._ "

"Pidge, listen." Allura says, "If they have started to launch sequence then we don't have much time to stop them."

" _What do I have to do?_ "

"You have to get down to the main engine control panel and disconnect the primary turbine from the central energy chamber. If you can do that then Sendak will have to restart the whole system. That might give us enough time to stop him."

" _Alright._ " Pidge says, " _I'll do it. Just walk me through what I have to do_."

Keith could do nothing but pace as Allura explained to Pidge what they needed to do. It had taken Pidge a while to get to the central energy chamber, and when they finally did, the ship had started to shift.

"Tell him to hurry up!" Keith snapped.

Allura grit her teeth, "Pidge! Find the control box and insert this sequence of numbers!" she gasped when the ship began to rise a little, "Oh no. It's about to take off!"

"PIDGE!" Keith roared into his communication device.

"I lost contact with him!" Allura shrieked.

This couldn't be happening. If that ship left there would be no chance to get to it. They would be stranded on this planet.

Keith would lose Shiro and Lance again! He could- He couldn't do that!

"Lance! Shiro!" He banged on the barrier till his fists bruised.

"Keith, stop!" Allura tried to pull him away, knowing it would be dangerous to stand here if the ship lifted off.

"I have to get in there!" He was blinded by rage, pulling against her grip. Through his fury, the boosters on the castle turned off and the ship stalled. Gasping, air heaving in and out of his lungs, he glanced at Allura.

" _Alright Allura, now what?"_ Pidge's smug tone echoed in their communication.

"P-Pidge?" she stammered, "You did it! You stopped the takeoff!"

Keith crumbled to his knees, "You- what took you so long?!" he demanded.

" _It is hard trying to read Altean gibberish you know_." Pidge snapped at him. " _Chill your jets, Keith."_

"Chill my- Lance is dying right now! How you get your ass in gear?!"

" _Hey! I'm the only one you got right now to try and stop this, so how about showing a little support?"_

"Paladins!" Allura scolded them, "This is not the time for fighting. We have to get this particle barrier down before they can restart the Engine!"

" _Just tell me what I need to do."_

Letting Allura do her thing, Keith stumbled to his feet. As she explained to Pidge what needed to be done, he pressed his forehead to the barrier. Hunk and Coran were off getting a crystal right now, Pidge was fighting for their life to get this barrier down, Allura was walking them through it… and Keith? What was he doing?

Nothing.

He couldn't do anything.

Just like before, on Garrison, all he could do was watch. Slamming his fist forward, he could hear his bones threatening to crack.

Forced to rely on Pidge and wait, he took a heavy breath. Hold on Lance… Shiro… He'll get there soon.

 **00000-0000**

When Shiro regained consciousness, the air felt cold and familiar. His hands had been cuffed behind his back- a sign that he was a prisoner at this moment.

Déjà vu was just punching him in the face right now, wasn't it?

Able to force himself up to his knees, he could see Sendak barking orders in front of him, "Haxes! I want who ever is in this ship found and terminated! That Green paladin will pay for getting in our way!"

Pidge? Was pidge still here and in the building? If they weren't here with them, that must have meant that they avoided Sendak's detection. She could still get them out of this.

Grunting, feeling bruises running along his side, he glanced over to see Lance laying on the floor next to him. His conditioned seemed to have gotten worse, a cold sweat running along his forehead. He needed help and soon.

Inching over to him, Shiro turned to pressed his hand to his forehead- as he suspected, Lance had gotten a fever. He prayed it wasn't over an infection.

Glaring towards Sendak, Shiro grit his teeth. He wasn't sure how long he stood there, a gun pointed to the back of his head by one of his Gladiators, but Shiro could assume at least a few hours.

At one point, Sendak's second in command, Haxes, left to fix the generator. When he didn't reply to his communication, Sendak called down to him.

"Haxes! Report in!" he commanded.

It surprised Shiro to hear Pidge reply instead, " _Haxes is gone, and you're next!"_

Sendak hissed, "You slowed me down, but this ship is mine!" he growled furiously, "You will turn yourself over to me immediately."

" _Never!"_ Pidge yelled.

There was a cruel chuckle in Sendak's voice, "Well then maybe your leader can convince you."

Shiro tensed when he turned to him, "What do you want?" he growled definitely.

"Your friend wanted to hear from you." he started to reach his robotic arm towards him. Sensing the game he was playing at, Shiro grits his teeth.

" _Shiro?"_ Pidge asked quietly from the other end.

"Pidge!" Shiro called, "Pidge don't listen to him-" Pain enveloped him a second later and he screamed. He knew this was just a ploy to get Pidge to surrender. "Pidge don't!" He screamed when he fell to his knees, struggling to breath. His body twitched against his own will, the electricity still coursing through his veins. He screamed again when Sendak hit him.

" _No!"_ Pidge pleaded.

"You can make it stop." Sendak informed her, "His suffering is in your hands." ending the transmission, Sendak turned to him with a sadistic smile. So use to his time as a Galra's prisoner, Shiro was fully aware of what would happen next.

So it wasn't all that surprising when Sendak began to beat him, punching and kicking him across the room relentlessly. When Shiro turned to him, each with a fire in his eyes after every hit, Sendak shook his head, "Your spirit is impressive, as is your escape from Galra custody," he kicked Shiro back towards Lance, "Perhaps it would be worth a trip to your planet to see if the rest of your kind have your spirit. Of course, they will all end up broken, just like you." Lifting Shiro up by the back of his armor, he held him up like a doll, "Come now. Champion, was it? Is this all the fight that you can muster?" Throwing him to the ground, he pressed the heel of his foot into the Black Paladin's chest.

He grunted, trying to turn away from it.

"And what of this one?" Shiro started to yell when Sendak reached for Lance, lifting him, "Practically dead before we even fully attacked. Pathetic."

"Don't touch him!" he kicked at Sendak

"What a weak leader- caring for you underlings." Sendak teased with a sick crooked smile, "Shall I finish him off now? He will hold no use to us in his condition." he tightened his grip around Lance, squeezing. After a few seconds, Lance began to scream and squirm- woken for only a moment from his unconscious state.

"Stop it!" a voice screamed from the halls.

Gasping, Sendak dropped Lance to the floor and turned to see Pidge standing at the open door. "You!" he threw his robotic fist at her. Ducking, Pidge fled down the corridor, Sendak in hot pursuit.

When he was gone, Shiro rolled to his side, gasping at the relief on his chest. Reaching a hand out for Lance, he was startled to find Pidge running in.

They had used a hologram to distract Sendak. "Shiro." she knelt to him and lifted her bayard to cut at his cuffed hands. Before she could, a large hand had grabbed her and yanked her back.

It was Sendak.

"You really think your little hologram trick would work with me?" he seethed, attempting to crush Pidge beneath his very grasp. Sensing approaching feet, he turned to see Keith and Allura sprint into the room.

The Particle barrier had managed to fall- leaving the door wide open for the both of them.

"Pidge!" Allura yelled.

He lifted Pidge a little higher, "Stand Back." he threatened to crush them in two.

Before he could even tighten his grip to show he meant his threat, pain exploded across his back as someone shot him. No one could believe their eyes when they realized it was Lance.

Being unconscious before, the Galra had not even considered taking his bayard away- truly their greatest mistake.

Eyes narrowed and teeth grit tight, Lance lowered his gun and fell back, unable to stay conscious for too long from the pain coursing through his body.

Taking that as a chance, the rest of the Paladins charged at Sendak, overwhelming him and cutting off his hand. Allura in the meantime snuck around to the controls, setting up a barrier. While it was usually used to protect the crystal, it would now be used at Sendak's prison.

When he was trapped inside, Keith closed his bayard and ran for Lance. He was using the step as support, breathing soft and uneven. "Lance?" he held out his hand to him.

Blinking, Lance stared at him with half lidded eyes, "Keith…" he held out his hand. Taking it, Keith knelt to him.

"Are you okay?" Keith scanned over his body, feeling his mind running a mile a second, "Did he hurt you? Can you hear me? What is your last name?"

"...Mcclain…" he slurred weakly. He coughed, wincing at the feeling, "We- We did it." he chuckled, "We are a good team."

Keith couldn't help but smile, relief coursing through him. "Yeah." he agreed. "You're okay now, Lance."

As if that was what he was waiting to hear, Lance closed his eyes and his head lulled back onto Keith's shoulder. Holding him tight, Keith closed his eyes and let out a heavy breath he had been holding in.

He was okay.

Unconscious and horribly injured- but he was okay.

"Where is Hunk and Coran with that crystal?" he grumbled.

"Actually-" Allura perked up from typing on the computer, "I think they are just arriving."

"Perfect timing," Shiro admitted, using Pidge as support to help him to his feet.

Keith didn't waste a second to help Hunk and Coran unload the crystal and place it back into its slot. He barely even talked to any of them until Lance had officially been changed into a healing suit and placed within a cryo pod to heal.

When Lance was finally in Keith never left his side, despite Allura assuring him that he would be fine with a day's rest. He didn't even care about whatever Coran and Hunk were talking about with the Balmara and someone named Shay.

He just- He wanted Lance to wake up. To smile and joke…

That was all he wanted.

"Pidge, we can't thank you enough for all you did," Shiro told them. "I can't help but feel that you were meant to be apart of our team, but I understand if you want to leave."

Shifting their gaze, Pidge smiled, "I remember my dad telling me how close he was with his crew- they were like his family. I think I understand what he meant by that." they smiled at him, "I'm staying with you guys. Let's stop Zarkon for all of our families." They looked to Pidge, "And for all of our friends."

They nodded in agreement, Keith turning to Pidge, "It is good to have you back." He says honestly. If it wasn't for Pidge- well they would have never gotten to Lance in time.

Touched that he said that, Pidge reached over and patted his back, "He'll be okay."

"I know.." Keith looked away, "...Thanks."

"Man- I don't know about you guys- but I'm struggling to stay awake here." Hunk's balance wavered, "I need to go lay down."

"I think we could all use some sleep after today." Allura agrees,

"You guys go ahead." Keith folds his arms, "I'll stay here. Make sure Lance is okay."

"Are you sure?" Pidge inquired. He nodded stiffly.

"Call us if anything changes." Coran insisted, "I'll go double check the security system. After everything, the castle isn't the most stable thing right now."

Nodding, too tired to really talk, everyone shuffled to their rooms. It was hard to sleep after everything that had just happened- but exhaustion hit them hard and most were unconscious the second their heads hit the pillow.

Unable to sleep, Shiro took to wandering the halls. Considering checking on Lance, he wasn't all that surprised to find Keith still crouched in front of the pod when he entered. "Keith." It had been hours since they left him there.

Turning to him, exhaustion evident on his face, he clears his throat, "Shiro."

"You should get some sleep."

"I'm not tired."

Shiro could hardly believe that but nodded anyway, "You come to check on Lance?"

"Did you?" Keith returned the question instead of answering.

"Yeah, I did." Moving across the room, he sat down next to Keith. They didn't say anything for a while, only stared at Lance through the pod.

Keith could sense that something was eating away at Shiro's mind, but he seemed hesitant to bring it up. Finding it unusual for Shiro of all people to hesitate, he asked, "Something wrong?"

His leader sighed, "Yeah."

When he didn't say anything else, Keith frowned, "Well?"

He turned to him suddenly, his gaze downcasted, "I'm sorry Keith."

The apology startled him, "What?"

"I broke my promise. I told you I would guard the castle and protect Lance. I failed."

"Shiro…" Keith couldn't believe his ears, "N-No. This isn't your fault. You were outnumbered and we all left you to defend the castle alone."

"I still let him get hurt. As a leader- anything that happens to all of you is my responsibility."

"Shiro…" Keith hits him a little, "Don't do that to yourself. Sendak is the only one to blame for what happened. We- we were all pretty reckless tonight with the party."  
He nods, "I know…" he glanced at Keith cautiously, "I've never seen you so angry before."

Keith shrugs a little, "We were all on edge."  
"No… you looked ready to kill something, Keith." Shiro puts a hand on his shoulder, "I honestly thought you were trying to with when you attacked Sendak."

Keith barked a little, "Why would I? He attacked us. He wasn't going to show us mercy anytime soon so why should we?"

"We aren't the Zarkon or his forces," Shiro says as soft and stern as he can. "That kind of path is a dark thing to travel…"

"Whatever." Keith turns away, "...If that is all you can leave."  
'I can watch over Lance."

"I got it," Keith says a little too quickly. "I said I would so I'll do it." Feeling Shiro's gaze on him, he shrinks a little, not sure what the older man wanted from him. "What?" he demanded after a while.

"They are still there," Shiro notes with a smile.  
"What is?"

"I know you still care about him, Keith," Shiro says. Keith flinched a little, lowering his gaze, "It is okay."

"It isn't okay," Keith says. "It isn't okay for him. He hates me."

"Lance doesn't hate you."

He snorted, the sound painfully rumbling in his chest, "Have you seen the way he acts around me?"

Shiro has that smile that he gets when he knows something Keith is missing, "Yes. He doesn't hate you, Keith. I can promise you that."

"…How are you so sure?"

"You tend to miss a few details if you aren't paying attention, Keith." Shiro informed him, "Just trust me on this."

Keith wasn't sure what he meant and was kind of pissed he couldn't figure it out, "You gonna explain what you just meant?" he demanded.

"Nope." Shiro didn't say another word after that. He stayed up with Keith until the others patted their way in- tired, but ready to check on Lance.

"Good morning, everyone." Allura is quick to approach the pod, checking its state. The anxious looks she gets has her pausing, feeling her own sense of anxiety to the situation. "He should be fine."

"Should be?" Hunk pales.

"Will be." she corrects.

"So he isn't?" Pidge looks close to death.

"He is fine!" she waved her arms around, "Just- look, he looks fine." in fact, no injuries seemed to be covering Lance's face anymore. They had all faded as the hours ticked by.

"Yeah but-" Hunk cringed to get a better look at his friend, "I can't tell if he looks healthy or not."  
Pidge pushed their face up to the glass, "I think he is breathing weird."

Keith was getting sick of this. There was only one way to full check and that was to get him out of there and awake! "Oh come on-" he reached out to open the pod.

Allura slapped his hand away, "Not yet, a few more ticks."  
"How much better is he going to get in a few more ticks?!" Keith demanded

Shiro frowned behind them, "What even is a tick?"  
"A time slice," Allura explains simply

"Like a second?" he raises an eyebrow. Allura blinks at him.  
"What is a second?"

Pidge holds up a clock to show her. Not sure, they go to Coran to borrow his ticker. Decided to have a small game out of the situation, they restart the clocks at the same time to see which was faster- a tick or a second.

Completely engrossed in the situation, Hunk giggled, "I think we are winning!"  
"Winning what? The Intergalactic time measuring competition?" Keith grumbles.

"Yes." Hunk huffs at him, "Don't judge it."  
"I'm going to judge it."

Not even realizing that the pod opened behind them, Lance stumbled out. His body felt too light to be considered normal and he was stumbling around the room before he could spin his way over to his friends. They were all huddled together in a little circle, eyes locked in a deep concentration at the clocks in their hands.

Blinking, Lance stared at them. "..." yeah they were just staring at ticking clocks for whatever reason. "So… is this a clock party?" he inquires. Startled by his voice, they turned to him.

"Lance." Hunk groans, "You just ruined it-" he gasps and throws his arms around him, "LANCE!" he said in realization, "You're awake!"

Crushed by Hunk all too powerful bear hug, he grunts, "Y-Yup… can't breath."

"Sorry." he drops him instantly, steadying him.

Coughing a bit, Lance blinked blurrily, "What happened?" his mind was too fuzzy to recall. There was a party- he was talking with Coran and then… pain. A lot of it. Something kind of warm too- a real familiar warmth that had him smiling, but he couldn't remember what it was.

"We'll tell you all about it while you get something to eat. Are you able to walk?" Allura inquired, gently placing a hand on his back.

Blinking, Lance patted his stomach, "...Food." he agreed. Despite his legs feeling like jelly, he was able to change back into his clothes and make it to the kitchen with Shiro and Hunk's help. The goo had never looked so good before.

Munching down, happily sharing with the mice when they leaped up to the table, he listened in awe to the tale the other told him. They had done so much just to help him…

"You would be Sendak's prisoner right now if not for Pidge," Allura concludes.

Pidge waves it off, "Well, you wouldn't have survived the explosion if Hunk and Coran hadn't gotten a new crystal."  
Lance was in awe of this team he was apart of, "Whoa guys… thank you. Really." he can see Keith mopping down the table, his body partially propped up to sit on it. When their gazes caught, Keith tensed a little. Quick to recall the last interaction with Keith- at least what Lance assumed to be the last time- he felt a little flustered and was quick to correct the feeling,' "...Sounds like the mice did more than you, though." he teased. The Mice were glowing, joyful at the praise.

Keith's mouth fell open and he yelled, "I punched Sendak!"

"Yeah." Lance rolled his eyes, "Apparently after I emerged from a coma and shot his arm off." he couldn't remember it at all, but it sounded awesome.

Keith was stammering, "We had a bonding moment! I cradled you in my arms."

The was more information that Lance ever wanted to know, "Nope!" he denied quickly, "Don't remember, so it didn't happen, end of story." he smirked a little at him.

Keith's lips twitched a little, and Lance swore he thought Keith was going to smile back- but then something flashed in his eyes. Startled by whatever though he just had, Keith suddenly shot up from the table and turned away.

No one seemed to find the action weird, but Lance did.

Mouth dry, he tried to restart the conversation, "S-So what happened to Sendak?"

The Princess says, "He is frozen in a cryo pod. We are keeping him here in the castle."

Lance isn't sure he likes that, "You sure that is a good idea?"

"He is too dangerous to set free. Besides, we might be able to get some information about Zarkon from him."

Nodding, accepting that for now, Lance asks, "So what now?"  
Hunk was quick to say, "We have to get back to the Balmara and save Shay."  
Shay. That was all Hunk could talk about this last hour. He talked about her more than he did food! It amazed him, "Wow…" he said in awe, "You are really hung up on this lady."

Hunk shook the comment off, "No, you don't understand. Look, guys, when you've seen how these people have lived, you'll understand. They have lived under Zarkon's thumb for so long, they don't know what it is like to be free. As paladins it is our job to save them, that is why we are here! It is time to man up!"

Startled at his determination, Lance felt himself grinning, "Then what are we waiting for?"

"Let's get moving. Time to defend the universe." Shiro turned to head out.

"Wait!" Pidge jumped to their feet. Taking a few deep breaths to calm themselves, Pidge began to speak rapidly, "Listen… I-I have something I need to say. I am afraid if I do, though, it will change how you all think of me. I need to come clean. Just so there are no secrets between us anymore, I need to say that I can't man up… I'm a girl."

Lance was gagging on his food. Pidge continued to talk, but Lance could only focus on the words, _I'm a girl._

Pidge was a girl? Since when? How did that happen? Were they always a girl? How had Lance never caught onto this?

"You're a what?!"

Pidge flinched at his reaction, grinning nervously.

The others were just nodding and chuckling like they knew all along! How could they tell! Was it that obvious?!

"Good to get that off my chest." He- or, she- Pidge, they- AHHHHH! "Let's launch this ship!"  
Lance was stumbling after them, "Wait- What?! Pidge is a girl and the Castle's a ship?!" he demanded. Unable to handle so much new information, he gripped his skull, "How long have I been out?"

"Only a day," Allura assures him with a chuckle. "We must get ready for departure, though. Are you well enough to take a few boxes down to the storage units before we take off?"

Looking at the boxes, he shrugged, "Uh- yeah sure."

Allura smiles- then looks to the red Paladin. Giving her little mice a look, they can see she has a plan brewing up her sleeve, "Keith?" she calls sweetly.

He glances at her, "Yeah?"

"We really need to leave as soon as possible- can you help Lance?"

"I can do it." The blue paladin huffs, not looking like he liked that idea.

"It is just to save time," she assures him.

Keith doesn't answer for a long time, looking from the boxes to Lance, weighing his options. At some point he finally agreed, pushing passed Lance without a word and scooping up the larger portion of the boxes. Lance, not wanting to be shown up by any means, scrambled after him.

"I got this," he tells Keith. He may have been injured before, but he felt great after getting out of that cryo pod.

Keith completely ignored his comment, moving down the hall at a brisk pace. Confused, Lance followed after him with the box. Arriving at the store unit below, they placed the boxes within. Wondering if Keith was perhaps mad at him, he scratched his head, "Uh so… I know I teased you before but thanks for coming to save me."

Keith nudged him out of the way.

"Keith?" He was mad at him, wasn't he…? "Oh come on Keith, I was just messing with you. I know you did a lot. You took on Sendak! …. Keith?"

"Don't talk to me, Lance."

"What?"

"I said don't talk to me."

Lance couldn't believe his ears. The way he said that… it reminded him of a year ago back at Garrison. Keith had just pushed him away then too. What was his issue?! Shiro was still here, they all were alive and well- was he just pissed that Sendak got the upper hand on him!?

"Dude, what is your problem? Now you've gone back to completely ignoring me?" Lance demanded. He should have been thankful that this was the turn of event and not the other way with Keith constantly smothering him… but he wasn't.

"I'm not ignoring you."

'You are." Lance folds his arms.

"Lance, just drop it, okay?" Keith pinches the bridge of his nose. "I'm not in the mood."

Lance goes quiet for a moment, the answer swelling within him. That single comment probably vexed him more than anything else on this entire journey!

"Not in the mood?" he grinds his teeth, "What does that mean?"

"It means exactly what I said."

"And what the hell are you trying to say, Keith? Am I not cool enough to talk to after getting taken out by the Galra so easily-?!"

"No! It is the fact that you got taken out by the Galra and I couldn't do a goddamn thing about it!" Keith roared. Startled, Lance stepped back when Keith began to stalk towards him. "You were right, Lance! The mice did more than me! Everyone did more than me, and all I could do was stand outside the castle while you were dying inside!" He slammed his fists towards the side of Lance's head, pinning him to the pillar behind them, denting the very metal. Lance froze, his gut clenching and breath catching in his throat, "If Pidge hadn't stopped Sendak and Hunk hadn't gotten that crystal you would have- you would have been…" His gaze wavered and he lowered his head until his forehead bumped against the top of Lance's chest, "You would have died.." he choked out.

Gulping, Lance can't say anything for a long time. Forcing him to speak he can barely manage something above a whisper, "B-But I didn't. No one was in control of what happened. All of us were caught off guard."

"I should have at least been there- been the one to take you to the medical bay. I wanted to be the one to do that." his voice sounds torn and hoarse, so uncharacteristically broken

"I don't- Keith, you are confusing me."

"That is why I'm ignoring you!" when Keith finally looked up, Lance wished he hadn't. Those eyes were the thing that caught his attention the first time around- those unwavering and earnest spheres that just pulled everyone in. "I am ignoring you because you are okay. Because I am so happy that you are okay that if I look at you- if I talk to you- I don't know what I'll do Lance." his arms were shaking against the pillar, his head leaning forward enough to rest on Lance's shoulder this time. "I'll break rule number two." it was a promise as much as it was a warning, "I'll hug you… kiss you… show you how grateful I am that you are alive and so much more. I'll never let you go, Lance… I'll do my best to make up for every mistake I've made and give you my everything..." Keith lifted his hand.

Lance couldn't breath. His heart was throbbing too loud in his ears to think as Keith's fingers graze the side of is cheek.

They retreat with a heavy sigh.

"But I know that isn't what you want. You don't want everything I have- not anymore." he slowly stepped back, "I ruined it and hurt you… I don't want to do that again." stumbling back, struggling to stay on his own two feet, Keith sniffed, "So please- stay away from me. At least until I can sort out everything in my head and put these feelings behind me. I accept if things will never be the same- but I cannot bare to lose you from my life again, Lance. I've had to let go of too many people without a choice. I can't let you be one of them. So if we can only be friends- or even just team mates- I'll do it. I'll do whatever it takes."

"...Ke-"

"Keith!" Pidge was yelling from atop of the stairs, unable to fully see them through the railings, "Where are you?!"

"Be right there!" Keith says quickly. "...See ya, Lance." He bolted up the steps a second later, disappearing into the halls of the castle.

Waiting until he could no longer hear the gentle clinks of Keith's heels, Lance slide to the ground. He should have felt relieved- he wouldn't have to get angry at Keith for this anymore. He could just move on like he wanted from the very beginning.

But it was only then that Lance realized with tears stinging his eyes- he wasn't sure if this is what he wanted.

Damn it, Keith.

Why do you alway make this so hard?


	12. Taking Flight

Klyzap had come to see Lance off before they left. He stood, tears in his narrowed eyes, his sword raised high, "It was an honor to meet you, m-my friend."

Keeling to him, Lance smiled, "You too, Klyzap." they high-fived, and he couldn't help but notice Munto was standing a short distance away, "You came here with Munto?"

Klyzap looks at his feet, smiling, "Yes, she is- she says she has feelings for me."

Lance feels like his smile is a little too forced, "That is great, Buddy!" he cheers for him, "Make sure to treat her right."

"I will. She will be treated and honored like the sun itself!"

"Good…" Lance cleared his throat a little, "I'm not the best at goodbyes so- I'll see you later?"

"See you on a later day- yes." Klyzap gave him a small hug and stepped back, waving to Lance all the way till he got into the castle and the doors closed. Taking a few deep breaths, Lance moved onto the deck to join the others. Moving to the seat he assumed to be his own, he sat down and braced himself on the arms of it.

His gaze was looking towards Keith before he could stop himself. He seemed to be acting normal, nothing out of order in the slightest with him. If Lance could manage to copy that poker face then there would be nothing to worry about- but he couldn't. He was shifting in his seat, adjusting then readjusting, fumbling with anything he could get his hands on.

He wanted to talk with Keith.

That thought alone was making him want to pull out all of his hair and leap off the ship. He could always just go live with the Arusians.

He wasn't even sure what he would say if given the chance but talking was how Lance tended to cope with things. When he talked he could make sense of the world around him and maybe end up finding an answer or two in the process.

Yet he sat there in silence, too afraid to speak a word.

"We are ready to leave Planet Arus on your command, Princess," Coran calls. Lance shifted again, watching quietly as the boosters of the ship came to life. It was amazing watching the Castle take off like it was doing- But Lance couldn't focus on that for too long.

He looked at Keith again- he needed to stop doing this! Just look away Lance! It isn't that hard. You went all yesterday with distracting yourself with the Arusians and the giant robot thing- then the party, so why is it so hard to simply enjoy taking off in a really old high tech alien space ship!?

Oh, right- He knows why; a little under two hours ago a certain Red paladin had got in his space and confessed to him only to say they should avoid each other as much as possible. A very, " _I wanna kiss you but I don't want to feel this way so I'm going to ignore you_ " kind of conversation.

Keith didn't even give him time to say anything.

Catching himself on that last thought, Lance covered his mouth. What… What would he have even said in that moment?

"Leaving Arus' atmosphere now," Coran announced.

"Cool," Hunk says to his right.

When they left the planet, Allura explained how they could get up and walk around now if they pleased. Everyone rushed to the windows, peeking out excitedly. Every other time they had been up in space was kind of a live or die situation and they hadn't had the chance to just enjoy the great unknown for what it was.

"Incredible." Pidge smiles, "So where is this Balmera anyway?"

"Not too far," Coran explains, "We won't need a wormhole to get there, but it will take a few hours."

Lance shivered when the Red paladin spoke with a deep voice, "I'm going to go train while we wait."

Quick to rub his arms to get rid of the Goosebumps, he had to force himself not to punch his own face. WHY. THE. HELL. DID. HE. JUST. GET. FLUSTERED. FROM. KEITH. TALKING?! All he did was say eight little words that meant literally nothing other than to say he was leaving! Nothing about that was cool, or sexy, or sweet- it was just Keith being Keith and stating an obvious thing like nothing at all.

"Train?" Hunk is still talking through Lance's panic, "You want to tire yourself out before we even get there?"

"I won't get tired," Keith says with a frown, "I can handle it." When he turned, his gaze seemed to run straight over Lance, as if he didn't even see him at all. It felt cold.

"Might as well make sure we are ready to go before we get there," Shiro agrees.

They all kind of did their own thing for a while- Lance even returned to his room to brush his teeth, feeling horrible morning breath from being stuck in that Cryo pod for so long. Spitting into the sink, he looked at himself.

" _Lance,"_

Lifting a hand up to his face, he touched his cheek. The warmth from Keith's fingers still lingered.

" _I'll do whatever it takes,"_

Sucking in a breath, he leaned forward, bracing himself against the counter. What was he going to do? What was it that he wanted exactly?

The small touches, drawn out stares, little smiles- all these things we unforgettable, haunting Lance day and night with little whispers from the back of his head.

It was torture to his heart- a feeling he never wanted to feel again.

He was falling apart. Which was up and which way was down?

Slumping down to sit on the cold bathroom floor, he thought about his next couple of choices.

Go and find Keith right now and demanded they talk about this. No, definitely not.

Ignore Keith just as much and hope this just passes eventually? He tried that- it didn't seem to work for him.

Go ask Hunk and Pidge for advice? Oh jeez, what was he suppose to say there? Hey guys, so Keith just confessed that he still has feelings for me and I'm in a panic about it. What do you guys think I should do?

…They would probably vote to throw him into an airlock. And if they didn't, would they yell at Lance for even thinking so deeply about this? How often do people struggle to move on from their ex's after bad breakups and go back to them just for the same thing to happen to them?

Would Hunk be pissed and call him an idiot? No- Hunk would never just do something like that. He would be nice about it- but Lance still didn't want to disappoint him.

Perhaps he should get advice from someone else? He has always turned to Pidge and Hunk for everything, often burdening them with his own issues. If he couldn't get through this without advice, he didn't want to bring them back down on a topic he's already struggled with.

Perhaps… Allura or Coran? They would be fresh advice on the situation. How would he even approach them? Would Allura say to drop it so not to cause infighting amongst them?

Ugh- this was so hard! He almost even considered going to Shiro- but he was like a brother to Keith. If he went to him he couldn't guarantee that Shiro wouldn't bring it up to Keith later.

Rising to his feet, Lance sighed. So he was on his own with this one.

Washing his face by splashing cold water on it, he dried off and returned to the others. He forced on a small smile and joined them quietly. He thought he had gotten away with it, but his Leader seemed to catch onto him more than he realized.

"Are you alright, Lance?" Shiro inquired.

"Fine," he says without missing a beat, smile ready for action. Startled at the enthusiasm, Shiro nods.

"Oh uh- good," he says. Giving him a thumbs up, Lance moved to stand next to Hunk, who was pacing slightly, nervous for their next trip to the Balmera.

"So what do you guys thinks- do we roll up and just start blasting? Or do we land and have some kind of public address system like; _Attention Galra, this is Voltron, turn yourself in!"_ he declared. When no one said anything, he slouched, "No, blasting right?"

"Hunk, calm down." Keith tells him in a gentle tone that Lance thinks is kind of sweet, "And yes, blasting."

"It's our first big rescue, he's excited." Shiro chuckled.

"Excited to see his new girlfriend~" Pidge cooed teasingly, payback for the multiple times Hunk would tease her.

Hunk gasped, offended, "She's not my girlfriend! She's just a rock that I met and I admire very much-" he cut himself off when an alarm began to sound throughout the castle.

"What is it?" Shiro demanded, "Are we being attacked?"

Coran glanced down at the screen, "No, it seems to be a distress beckon."

"It is coming from a nearby moon," Allura confirmed, "Apparently, a ship has lost power."

"I wonder who it is?" Pidge inquires.

Oddly impatient, Hunk steps forward, "Whoever it is will have to wait. Shay has top priority and we can check back on them when we are done."

Lance couldn't believe his ears. This Shay girl and her people must have really made an impact with Hunk to leave such a heavy mindset on the guy. He was never this eager to go on a mission- or this determined to make sure it was a success. It was actually very touching. Lance felt a swell of pride at his friend.

Allura cleared her throat however, "I know you are worried Hunk, but as a Paladin of Voltron you all must follow the code that all living creatures are top priority. We are here now and must help as much as we can."

"Like cops," Pidge says.

Lance couldn't help but think of that old show he used to watch with his Abuela, "Then we are space cops on space patrol?"

Allura wasn't sure what they were talking about, "I suppose? What is a cop?"

"An enforcer of the Law." Hunk grumbles, not too pleased that Shay would be put on hold. "They got cool vehicles, a code they follow, awesome uniforms- Oh my god, we are space cops." He turns to Lance in realization.

Lance was thrilled to find something to distract himself, "All we need is a Siren! Coran, do we have one of those?"

"A siren?" he ponders that for a moment, "No, but we could record you making a siren noise and broadcast that to them."

Hunk and him were on that in a flash, cupping their hands around their mouths and yelling into the air. Pidge, who was an expert at this, soon joined. Lance thought it sounded awesome, but Shiro put a hand on his shoulder and shook his head, "Nope- not doing that."

"Aww, space dad." They whined. Shiro made a tight face, pointing a warning finger at them.

With that, they called down to the stranded folk and made a quick landing on the Moon. For being a moon, it seemed to match Earth in its abundance of air and gravity- they didn't need their helmets at all to step outside.

Of course that didn't mean that they took them off- but you know.

Peek out of the small pod that carried them down to the moon's surface, Lance moved to step out. Jumping when Keith did the same, the two froze. With a wide look, Keith blinked, shot in the other direction and scrambled out of the pod, straightening to look casual again.

Lance could only stare.

Losing whatever sense of confidence he had just gotten back, he inched out of the pod and laid back as they approached the people they were there to help. Two very different looking aliens stood before them. While they fairly resembled humans, their skin took on colors Lance hadn't expected- purple and Yellow. It was kind of cool.

The purple one stood their approach, "It's nice to see some friendly faces." the man said with a friendly grin, "Most folk don't want to get tangled up with those running from the Galra."

Keith found that comment interesting, "So you guys are fighting the Galra?"

The guy sighed, "Well, I wouldn't say Zarkon is exactly quaking in his boots at the three of us, but we do what we can. I'm Rolo. This is Nyma and our cyber unit, Beezer."

"Hi." Nyma smiled. When Lance lifted his head to greet her, he realized she was staring right at him with wide, crystal clear purple eyes.

She was beautiful- the kind of beautiful Lance had never seen. Of course, that was a given since she was an alien, but beauty was beauty, and Lance appreciated all forms.

He wanted to talk to her- to everyone in this small crew honestly. When Nyma approached him, he felt as though he should put on his Lance charm… something he hadn't tried to do to anyone since meeting Keith. Not that his _charm_ really worked on anyone but him anyway.

...That was kind of a depressing thought to his pride.

All this thinking made him hesitant, and instead of putting on a charming smile and shaking her hand, he simply nodded back, "Oh uh, h-hi."

Next to him, Pidge was fawning over the robot companion of this small crew, sparkles shooting out from her, "Cool robot!" she gushed.

"I like your armor," Nyma says to him sweetly.

He fumbled, unable to think of anything to say back. In the end he said the oh so brilliant words- "… Me too."

Lance wanted to slap himself. Give him a break. He hasn't done this in over a year and he was kind of rusty! Plus, and this is the big one, Keith was standing right over there and Lance just wanted to go talk to him and just- you know- be normal. What was even normal between them anymore? Nothing! Nothing was normal!

Realizing he was making angry or pouting faces during his thoughts, he blushed when he realized Nyma was giving him a wide look. How humiliating. His anxiety was shooting through the roof today.

Turning away, he covered his face a bit. She chuckled.

To save himself some peace of mind, he focused on the others. Shiro was asking Rolo if his ship had been damaged in a fight or something.

Rolo sighed and nodded, "Yeah, we've really been through it with the Galra. Parts are hard to come by- but luckily we were able to get to this moon before the engines gave out about a week ago. If you hadn't picked up our distress signal I don't know what we would have done."

"We are happy to help." Allura tells him, "I am Princess Allura of Altea, and from now on you won't be alone in fighting the Galra. You will have the Paladins of Voltron by your side."

Rolo quietly glanced back at the fawning Green Paladin behind him, then to the self-loathing blue one to his right, "….Okay." he nodded slowly, trying his best to look happy or relieved at this information.

Shiro cringed a bit at the sight himself, "I don't think he's heard of us."

"It has been 10,00-" Lance was looking Keith's way the second he spoke up and Keith had to turn his head to avoid eye contact, "Years. It has been 10,000 years." He says, a little strained, his gaze awkwardly to the side, not really looking at anyone in particular, making his sentence seem strange.

"Uh… yeah. Don't even know what a Voltron is- but I'm sure it is cool." Rolo tries to smile, trying to be polite.

"Voltron?" Lance pulls his eyes away from Keith to look at Rolo, then looks back at Keith… then slowly, like a snail, looking back at Rolo, "You know, five robot lions that combine into this big robot… guy?"

Rolo is giving odd looks at the rapid change of focus this Blue Paladin seems to have,

"Sounds impressive." He says, "I would love to see it- or him… them?" he questioned.

Hunk, who had been tapping his foot impatiently, couldn't seem to wait any longer and says, "How about we just get working on your ship? I'm sure we all have places to be."

"Sure." Rolo nods. Opening their vehicle for everyone to see, Rolo began to explain the damage. Lance wasn't quite sure what he was talking about, but Allura did.

"I'm sure we can get you back up and running. Give Hunk a list of what you need. Coran can show you where to find it." She tells him.

Not too comfortable with any of this, Hunk nods slowly, "Okay…"

"We'll go with you." Rolo offers, "We don't want you to carry that by yourself."

Hunk reaches out with his arm to stop Rolo, a set look on his face, "Uh- I don't think so." He snips, "You can just wait out here."

"Hunk, don't be rude." Allura scolded him.

"Yeah Hunk, it should be fine." Lance tells him, eyes straight on the back of Keith's head, "They seem nice." he forced himself to remember that he was talking to Hunk and should probably be looking at Hunk as he said this and not at Keith- because he wasn't talking to Keith. And since he wasn't talking to him, looking at him is probably weird. "...And stuff." he probably looked at Hunk for two seconds before looking back at Keith.

Dang it Lance!

It was just- He wanted Keith to look at him! The more he looked at the back of his head the more he liked it and that wasn't good! It was very bad!

Hunk seemed to scoff a little at Lance, "Oh I'm sorry, but I don't want to hear anything from you, Lance. You haven't even been really paying attention all day." Hunk pointed to him. That startled Lance enough to look at his feet for once and blush at being caught, "AND! I hate to be the one to always point these things out, which it seems my destiny to do so, but does anyone remember the last time we let our defenses down? Someone kind of set off a bomb- remember Lance? You were almost killed."

Shocked at the cold tone, Lance lowered his shoulders, "Oh yeah…" he nods, feeling guilty. He knew Hunk was just being cautious for their sake- it just stinks that he had to make his best friend feel this kind of distrust because he couldn't take care of himself. Not like he could have controlled the explosion, but still…

Feeling Shiro's hand on his shoulder, Lance looked up at him.

"Hunk is right. I'm sorry, but we have to be cautious. We can't afford another one of our crew getting hurt."

"Hey, I don't take it personal," Rolo insisted. Allowing a small list to be printed from Beezer's memory core, he handed it to Hunk. "That is how it is out here, you have to look out for your own. You are doing a good job, big man."

Taking it, Hunk frowned a bit, "Thanks…" he turned and returned to the ship. Feeling a little awkward after he left, Allura clapped her hands together to strike up a new conversation.

"So, Rolo… Tell us about yourself."

Smiling at her, he motioned for them to join him at the camp they made.

Watching the other move around the fire, Lance didn't feel too up to joining them- not with one of the people going out of his way to ignore him.

Seating himself upon one of the cargo boxes in the distance, he kicked his legs. With this alone time he was starting to recall all his problems again.

Like his new obsession with the curls on the bottom of Keith's head. They seemed to have gotten longer since they first left Earth.

He would need a haircut soon enough. It always did grow fast. He was probably on of those babies had a whole head of hair by the time he was 3 months old! The idea of it sounded cute in his mind.

…Cute.

"Ugh!" he buried his face into his hands, frustrated and bothered and just- done with this! His heart had to pick one way or the other! None of this in the middle bull crap of " _Oh, maybe this is okay- or maybe it isn't. I don't know- boo hoo for little Lance. Let him suffer~"_

God, how pathetic was this? How often has he caught himself staring at the Red paladin just within the last hour alone? It wasn't like he hadn't memorized Keith's entire form by now anyway- he could close his eyes and picture him perfectly…

So what was he looking at him for? What did he want to see every time he would turn his head in Keith's general direction?

An answer? A sign? Any sort of response or acceptance that Keith was looking back at him too?

"Hey, Lance."

He jumped when Nyma appeared next to him, smiling brightly, "Mind if I join you?"

"Oh uh- No no. Go ahead." he insists, "I'm just sitting here looking at Ke- stars. Looking at stars cause they sure are pretty. Super pretty…" he trailed off awkwardly.

"I see." she hugged her knees close to her chest, "What is it like? This- Voltron?"

"A big robot," he says blandly, hands tapping nervously to the crate he was sitting on. "Like, a big big robot."

"That sounds very broad honestly."

"Does it?" Lance chuckled just a little too long and made it weird, "I guess. Well- the five lions form it. Two make the feet, the other two the arms, and the final one is the head/chest area."

"So then all control goes to the head of the machine," Nyma guessed.

"Not exactly. As the Paladins, we share the power equally. I don't think Voltron would be the same without all its pieces. I form one of the legs with my Lion. Hunk is another leg, Pidge is the arm, Shiro is the head, and Keith is the other arm," he trailed off, "With him we can form a sword. I think Keith takes most control in those moments, and the robot just kind of mimics the way Keith would fight."

Nyma looks to the others to figure out which one Lance was talking about, "Is Keith a good swordsman?" she points to Shiro to make a guess. Lance corrects her and motions as subtly as he can to Keith.

"One of the best…" Within his pointing, he found himself gawking at the temperamental paladin, but once again he was faced away from him. He was really trying his best to keep little to no contact between each other, huh? "He's like a knight."

"I don't really- I still do not understand." she admits, "The lions are machines. Are they like flying statues that you ride on?"

"No, no. They're magic, but also super scientific and advanced." He felt more open to say this than he originally thought, "And they fly crazy fast and have all these incredible weapons. Really the entire castle is just insane!"

"I wish I could see the inside of it," she sighed sadly, looking to the castle with a dreamy look. "I would love a tour from one of you Knights. But I guess the big one is in charge, huh?" she looked towards Hunk. "You have to listen to him."

Shocked she would even suggest something like that, Lance shook his head. "Hunk? No way! I mean- if anyone was leader I would say it is Shiro. He is the oldest- not that age should define a leader, but he does have the most experience and manages to keep this crazy crew together. He can even keep Keith under control, which is really hard since is super temperamental…"

"I see. Well, I guess we will be leaving soon then once our ship is fixed. It would have been nice to see at least your lion, Lance." She leaned towards him, her shoulder brushing against his. Not expecting the contact, he almost fell back.

"O-Oh uh… yeah? Well, maybe you can someday… or something? Shiro was pretty insistent on none of your guys going in and Keith would probably throw a gasket if I tried."

"...Would he?"

"Oh yeah, a big fit for sure. He does that. He is a real rage monster that guy. I mean, he is cool but quick to follow his emotions- which is usually anger. Or whatever…" he stops talking. He feels as if Nyma shifts a little, a sudden smile pulling at her lips.

There is something in his eyes that he can't explain, but he feels a little on guard suddenly.

"Keith… you said he was the Red paladin, yes?"

Lance nodded numbly.

"You often stare at him." Nyma points out the detail with an abruptness that Lance almost gasps at, "Is he precious to you?"

'H-Huh?!" he definitely wasn't expecting that question, "W-What, that guy? Keith?! No way!"

"Are you two not mates then?"

Lance felt the blood rushing to his face, "M-M-Ma-" he couldn't repeat the word. "No. No no no no."

"Then you were once mates?"

He opened and closed his mouth, Nyma hitting the bull right in the eye. Though Mates sounded a little more embarrassing than Boyfriends, "How did you-"

"I sensed a broken heart from you," she explained sadly. "Your smile felt… fake. I know what it feels like to try and smile through a tough time…." She turns away as if she wasn't expecting herself to become so sentimental and clears her throat. "It hurts. It hurts more than anything."

Feeling a sense of connection grow from that, Lance nods numbly, "Yeah."

"The Galra have taken many things from me… my family, my home..." she looked up at him with wide eyes, "Though I do not seem to understand; if you cherish the Red Paladin so, then why do you hesitate?"

"…I don't." Lance said quickly, refusing to believe that for a second he actually hesitated in his answer, "I don't feel that way anymore."

"You are quick to toss your feelings aside," she pointed to him.

"I'm not doing that-"

"You sure?"

Caught dead in his tracks, Lance felt his arms lowering, his heart feeling heavy at her words. How did everyone manage to see straight through him like this? He's known Nyma what, an hour? The same thing happened with Coran. Were his insecurities so obvious to the world around him? "It's… complicated," he croaks

"They say love usually is." She chuckles. Staring at him for a few seconds, her smile falters and she tilts her head to the side, "Did he hurt you?"

"..."

She seemed shocked she got it right, "I see. He hurt you but you cannot help but still care for him. Emotions truly are our one true enemy at times-"

"Can you-" Lance held up a hand to stop her, his heart hating this conversation topic too much, "Do you wanna go for a ride?" he asked her with an almost desperate plea.

"On your lion?" she gasped. What was he doing? Why was he asking this? He just made it clear that it was a bad idea that would probably anger Shiro and Hunk- especially Hunk.

But he was desperate.

A frenzied feeling in his gut was screaming to forget everything they were talking about.

He ends up nodding, "Nyma, follow me." Grabbing her arm they ran into the castle before anyone could notice.

Once inside, Nyma had her breath taken away, "This place is beautiful! And so large! However do you manage to get to your lions in such short time?!"

"Easy," he smirked. Actually looking forward to showing her this since he found it so entertaining himself, he brought her to the tube- sneaking around Coran before he could even notice they were there.

Stepping in, she grabbed onto him when they fell downward. "Here we go!" he pointed forward and grabbed the bar dangling above their heads. Holding onto his waist, she screamed when they shot down the tube.

Sharing a laugh Lance was grateful for the small seconds of relief.

But it got awkward when they fell into the Lion, Lance landing in her lap. She didn't seem to even care and stared around in awe.

"Incredible!" she grinned, "Could you take me for a flight around the moon?" she inquired, leaning towards him for just a little second too long for comfort.

"UH…" he can't help but feel flustered simply by their proximity alone. This had to be the only girl in the entire universe who actually seemed to enjoy his presence. Well, Allura was like that, but she kind of seemed like an older sister or Mother figure.

….Like a- Holy crow like a Space mom! Space Sis?

Realizing Nyma was still there and waiting for an answer he stammered, "I-I don't know-" he glanced away, "We should probably get back to the others…"

"You are right." she nodded after a small sigh, "...Maybe Keith will give me a ride?"

Lance panicked at the thought of the two of them being alone- and not for the reason he original thought he would panic. He knew Keith would never try to play it smooth with Nyma; he wasn't that kind of guy, but what about her? What if she tried to come onto him?

N-Not that the idea of that bothered him it just- it didn't bother him!

"It would give me a chance to… _get to know him."_ Nyma says with too sweet of a smile.

….It bothered him. Holy hell it bothered him!

"No! No! He is fine where he is, I'll take you! I mean, what is the point of having a lion if you can't enjoy it. Giddy up, buddy!" They shot out of the Castle a second later.

Too late to turn back.

Below the Castle, watching with a frustrated sigh, Hunk shook his head, "Lance." He groaned. Blue- the most trusting lion. A little too trusting if you asked him...

Turning, he could see Keith rising to his feet as the Blue lion shot out of sight.

"Lance just left." He informed the group.

"Ooh?" Allura lifted her gaze to watch, "Nyma seems to be gone too. Perhaps he wished to show her how the lion worked since she had so many questions on it?"

"Nyma was always one for any high-quality machines," Rolo chuckled, "I'm sure she is fawning over the thing like mad."

"Sounds like someone else we know," Shiro chuckled when he looked at Pidge. Looking at Keith, he watched as the younger paladin continued to stare at the sky before slowly lowering himself back to his seat- his foot tapping against the ground rapidly, as if he was frustrated about something.

Sighing, he patted Keith's back.

* * *

 **-0000-**

It wasn't a bad view going around this moon. Honestly, compared to his moon this thing was out of this world! It had trees, lakes and streams- no wonder they didn't have to worry about keeping their helmets on.

"Look," Nyma pointed out the window, "A kinetic spring! Let's land over there." Following her request, Lance turned down towards the spring. As Blue shot across the water's surface, Lance was amazed when a rainbow began to form around them. Nyma smiled at him and said, "The minerals reflect off the water making a rainbow."

"Whoa…" Lance bit his lip at the sight. One might not think it when you first met him, but rainbows were actually one of Keith's favorite things. Lance's too.

It was just nice to sit outside, smelling the fresh air after a recent rain- or even a continuous rainfall, and just look up and see one spread across the sky.

Keith was always into that kind of the stuff- the quiet peace of nature. Silence with a beautiful view was something he could thrive off of.

He could still recall when fall first hit Garrison. The tree they grew at the front of the school had just started to change colors and they were assigned to clean up the leaves. Keith had looked like a wonderful dream within those falling colors. Sometimes Lance fears that it really was just that- a dream. None of what they had back then was real and it was just a way for Keith to pass time.

But the way he looked at him back at the castle. He was just as afraid and lost as Lance felt- but he knew how he felt. He was positive of what he wanted and was taking steps. Lance wasn't.

He was standing still, too caught up in all this noise to figure out what was the best choice to make. Reason or emotion?

"Lance?"

"…Yeah?"

"You are sad." She was staring at him in shock

"No… no, I'm just remembering some things." He says quietly, his voice sounding foreign to his own ears.

"Lance." her fingers brushed his shoulder. "Is this about Keith again?"

"No."

"I believe it is."

Lance lands the lion without another word and gets out. "This sure is a nice spring," he says.

"It is…"

He whistles to himself, hoping Nyma would get the point and drop the subject. She didn't. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Talk about how beautiful these Springs are?"

"No."

"…How beautiful this Moon is?"

"No."

"How-"

"Keith."

He shook his head and laughed. It was so forced that it actually hurt and he cut it off, letting it die like how the rest of his feelings felt like they did a year ago. "We should go back."

Nyma didn't move. There was a look in her eyes that made him wonder if she was going to cry. When she didn't and instead looked at her feet, she said, "You are curious."

"Am I?"

"It is strange. For some reason, I want to understand you, Lance. I want to know what pushes you- what makes you fake that smile you carry around."

He steps back a little, "I'm not faking."

"Every single smile has been fake since I met you." The frown on her face is so deep that her brow wrinkles, "It doesn't sit right with me and I honestly can't tell you why. You do not know me yet you force a smile for me. It is strange…"

Wondering if he upset her by doing this he scratched the back of his head, "…I'm sorry."

She shook her head, "Can I ask you something?" when he nods she says, "How did Keith hurt you?"

"That is a pretty personal question." He frowns.

"It is. I am just curious. I see the way he glances at you when he thinks you aren't looking- which has been hard for him to do since you are always staring at him. He seems to still care for you and in some way you do too. So what could he have possibly done to push you this far from him?"

"Nyma." He warns, "That is really out of line."

"To me it just seems like you are afraid to answer." She speaks as if she is simply teasing, but the undertone sounds like she is trying to get under his skin.

"That is none of your business."

"Did he cheat on you?"

"What- no. This conversation is over-" he turns to leave. She steps in front of him and Blue.

"Did he not fall for you until after you two separated? Was it just a one-sided love during the relationship?"

'Nyma." He growls.

"Did he get scared and run away?"

Something snapped and he is yelling, "Shut up! Yes, okay?! I told him I loved him and he dumped me! He threw me to the curb and I didn't see him for an entire year! He didn't feel the same! Are you happy now?! Did I satisfy your _curiosity?"_ when she straightened, lips thin and eyes wide, Lance stepped back. Surprised in himself for blowing up on her he covered his mouth, "I… I'm sorry…"

"No… It is okay."

"I barely know you." he insists in a panic, "I shouldn't be saying this."

"Lance, this Galaxy is huge. Honestly, I doubt we will ever see much of each other, if at all, once we leave. Honestly, if there was ever a person to tell it you, I might just be your best bet. I have nothing to gain from telling anyone this secret- nor can I bring it up to you later on." she chuckled.

He found some sense of peace with that. It was overwhelming- the idea of an outlet to all this frustration. Blinking only a few times at her, he nodded, "…We dated a year ago."

She perked up a little, motioning for him to carry on.

"We got along great- perfect. I never once regretted it or doubted it when we were together. He was just awesome." He couldn't bare to go into every little detail but found himself speaking of a few little moments Keith and him had shared together. "I loved him… He was upset at one point- really upset, and I told him that I was there for him and that I cared. He pushed me away. He left."

"He broke your heart," she concluded.

"I thought I wanted it to be over with him but the more I'm around him the more I don't know what to do." he gripped at the side of his heads. "I don't want to fall for him again but-"

"You can't help it."

"I can't…"

Eyes wide at the complete trust in his voice, she looked away, "You really did just trust me with everything… didn't you?" she sighs.

"I guess I did…" he agrees, "Sorry if that makes you uncomfortable."

"It doesn't." she says, "I just- love is hard. Wars make it hard to follow your heart and you find yourself turning into something you never thought you would be…" her voice cuts off into a tight strain. Clearing her throat, she is quick to say, "B-But I know one thing. If you let that boy move on, you might not ever get him back. So you need to be sure that letting him go is what you want, and decide that fast."

"...You think?"

"Can I offer you some advice?" she asked.

He wasn't sure he wanted to hear this, but nodded slowly.

"If you really want to know what your feeling are- spend some alone time with the Red knight. Just the two of you. Don't run away from it. That will be the deciding factor to your heart." She winked, "Tell him that you need time to decide but aren't completely against giving him a chance. If he really cares, he'll agree in a heartbeat."

Taking that advice to heart, Lance took a deep breath. In the exhale, he felt something heavy leaving his chest, "Thanks, Nyma." When he smiled, he meant it.

She stepped back at the sight of it, eyes wide and mouth open wide from shock. "O-Of course." She paused to glance at the small device on her hand. It was blinking. Frowning, she closed her eyes and sighed heavily, "The ship is fixed."

"Oh. I guess we should head back then." Lance motioned to the Lion.

"…Yeah…" she bit her lip. When Lance turned to walk back, she called to him, "L-Lance?"

"Hmm?"

"Give me your hand." She held out her own to him, a sad smile on her face.

"Why?"

"A good luck charm. I am giving it to you."

Blinking a few times, Lance hesitantly reached out his palm. "Okay-?" The second his fingers touched her she reached forward to snatch his wrist into her grip. Startled, he shrieked when she yanked him forward, slamming something against his wrist.

Not sure what was happening, Nyma shoved him forward, reaching around a tree to grab his other wrist and attach something to that too.

"Nyma?!" Lance gasped as his face smacked against the tree. Struggling to keep his feet, he tugged back to find he had been handcuffed and trapped. "Wha-?" he looked to her for an explanation. She looked away, coughing into her hand a little.

"Sorry, Lance."

He watched in horror as Nyma's ship appeared from the distance, moving past them to above his lion. Using a tractor beam, it began to lift it up, "What is going on!?"

"Nothing personal," she said honestly as a wire came down and she stepped onto it, "I truly hope things works out between you are your Red knight. I meant everything I said earlier. Really- I did." Shooting up towards the ship, Lance could only watch as they flew away.

…This wasn't happening.

He did not just open his heart up to a girl that betrayed him... Oh god he just did, didn't he?

Yelling in frustration, feeling used once again, Lance dropped to his knees. H-He had to do something. He needed help.

Looking around for anything to get himself free from these binds, he scanned the area. Noticing his helmet not too far away from where he dropped it, he reached his toes out desperately to grab it. "Come on… just a little bit more-" he flipped the helmet towards his face, "Got it!" he cheered, yelling into the mic, "Guys! Hello?! Keith! A little help!"

" _Lance_?' Shiro was quick to respond, " _What happened, are you alright?"_

"No, I'm not alright!' Lance yelled, "I got played! I got played again because- GOD!" he screamed and kicked at the air, so pissed and hurt and just sick of all of this, "I am such an idiot!" he yelled.

" _Lance… Lance calm down, you aren't making sense. Where is Nyma, is she with you_?" Allura inquired.

"No, she isn't with me! She ran off and she took my lion and I'm handcuffed to a tree!"

" _I knew it!"_ Hunk roared.

"Where are they?" Pidge asked.

" _... Space_." Lance said quietly, barely above a whisper. Turning, he put his head to the dirt, letting the cool comfort him.

" _I knew it!"_ Hunk yelled again.

" _Then where are you?!_ " Keith demanded.

"...Other side of the moon, as I mentioned before, tied to a tree."

" _Oo-ho-ho_." Hunk said in pure rage, " _I never trusted those guys from the very beginning_!" He could hear the others moving from the communication devices. Hunk was talking the whole time, going on and on about how he knew Rolo couldn't have been telling the truth and how the whole group just felt odd to him. They all told him repeatedly that they got it and that yes he was right, but he continued to go on and on.

"We get it!" they yelled at him.

" _Lance, don't worry, we'll get your lion back and come back for you. Just sit tight_." Shiro assured him.

"...Okay." he says, his voice muffled by the dirt.

" _You okay_?" Pidge asked.

"No."

" _Lance_?" He cut off after that. Worried, but unable to focus on that for now, they shot into space as fast as their lions would carry them.

* * *

 **0000-0000**

"You've been awfully quiet, Nyma." Rolo says over the controls. She glanced at him then looked away.

"It's nothing."

"Good- cause we gotta put on our best smiles." Turning on the communications, one of the Galra Empire's generals appeared on screen, "Commander Prorok, my name is Rolo. I heard you were offering a reward to anyone who helps captures the Voltron lions?"

The Galra narrowed his eyes at Rolo, " _That is correct. Do you know where they are_?"

"Only one- the blue on. It is in my ship." Rolo smirked.

" _Excellent. Bring it to me and you shall have your reward immediately_."

"Just a tick." Rolo says, "You see my friends and I have a bit of a checkered past. Some stolen Galra tech may have fallen into our possession without us knowing about it."

"… _Well, I am sure a full pardon can be arranged for the brave souls who bring Emperor Zarkon a Voltron Lion. Is that all?_ "

"We'll take the reward too." Nyma pointed to him.

" _Of course_."

Rolo smirked, "Alright, we're on our way." Ending the transmission, he stretched. "What a day. You really pulled out a top notch performance by friend," He says to Nyma, who turns away and heads back to her seat, "Had that Blue Paladin stumbling in your hands."

"…Yeah." She says weakly.

Leaning in his seat, her friend turned, "I almost feel sorry for those Voltron folks." He admits, "Seemed like a nice bunch." When Nyma said nothing, he sat up to stare at her. "Why so quiet?"

She shook her head and sighed, "I just- you should have heard him, Rolo."

"Him? You mean the Blue paladin?"

"Lance." She says, "His name was Lance."

"Oh no-" he cringes, "Don't tell me you actually fell for the guy."

"It wasn't like that!" She turns so fast in her chair that it startles him, "He was just- he- I dunno. He was different from everyone I've met, that is all."

"Having second thoughts?" he meant to tease, but Nyma seemed to actually be considering it. "We already told the Galra we were on our way and that we had a lion." He reminded her.

"I know." She snapped irritably, "Just- let's stop talking about this, okay?" They barely pushed through a tight 3 minutes of silence before their alarms began to go off. The other four lions had tracked them down.

"Welp, seems there are here for their buddy Blue." Rolo flinched, sweating a little.

"…Seems so." She stared at the screen intently, watching all of the Lion's closely. When the Red Lion seemed to pick up speed a little, she tightened her grip on the arm of her chair. In continued to pull out of the tight formation the Lions had, pushing closer and closer. It must have been faster than the other three.

"Hold on-" Rolo smirked at the sight of the asteroid field ahead, "We'll lose them in this."

Shooting through, it didn't take long to realize the lions weren't able to follow them through. Well, all of them accept one. Of course, it had to be the red lion that came charging after them.

"We're doomed." Nyma sighed and leans back, feeling oddly accepting of this fact.

"What?" Rolo demanded, "He won't catch us."

"He will. We messed with his mate."

Rolo didn't understand what she was talking about and screamed when she suddenly clicked a few buttons and cut off the engine. "What are you doing?!"

Closing her eyes, Nyma shrugged, "I don't really know anymore…"

The Red lion slammed into them a second later, sending the whole ship spiraling out of control for a few seconds. Struggling to put them straight, he paled when the other three lions approached. All in all, they hadn't taken any real damage to their ship since they stopped- but Rolo got a quick punch in the face when they returned to the moon.

The other Paladins had to hold the Red one back from inflicting more damage.

"Keith!" Shiro was yelling a warning, "Take a walk!" he motioned to Keith's lion, "Go get, Lance."

Huffing heavily, Keith turned and left without much more of a fight, his lion pushing off with so much force that the ground came up from the pressure.

"Jeez…" Pidge pushed up their glasses, "I'm almost afraid to think of what would have happened if you guys hadn't pulled over like you did." She says to them. Rolo can't help but dread the same.

"Why did you pull over?" Allura inquired, arms crossed. "If you were going to give up so easily, why even both stealing the lion in the first place?"

"Wasn't my idea," Rolo grumbled, glaring at his _supposed_ shipmate. Nyma hadn't said a word since they arrived, content with simply sitting there and letting them yell at her. "Got something you wanna say?"

"I'm sorry."

He wasn't expecting that, and it sucked more that she didn't even direct it towards him. It was towards the Voltron folks.

"I had full intentions of stealing from you when you arrived. I do that with everyone I meet. It is always the same too… except for this one." She twiddled her thumbs together, "I wasn't expecting Lance to…" she cut herself off and shook her head.

"No." Hunk stepped forward, "What were you going to say?"

Turning her head to him, she hesitantly says, "He trusted me. He told me things and just- believed in me. Without anything in return he smiled. _No one,_ has ever trusted me as quickly and earnestly as he did. It- I didn't think anything like that was possible with how I've lived." She turned her head down, closing her eyes. The pain that shot through them was unmistakable though, "I couldn't steal from you. From him. I just couldn't…"

"Nyma…" Rolo lifted a hand out to pat her back.

Glancing at each other, the Paladins nodded their heads, "Well- your ship isn't that damaged. You should still be able to leave without any problems," Pidge explains to them.

"Yeah…" he nods, "Thanks for sparing our lives." When they turned to leave, he called out, "Hey. You may not believe me, but I really do hope you defeat Zarkon…" with gentle eyes he sighs, "It's a lifetime of fighting the Galra that lead me- that leads all of us, to where we are today."

"Good bye… Knights of Voltron." Nyma called to them one last time, "I truly hope we meet again under better circumstances."

* * *

 **0000-0000**

It had been a long time before Lance had heard anything from the others. When he was starting to fear the worse, his comms turned on, " _Hey… Lance."_ It was Keith.

Spit catching in his throat, he coughed heavily, "K-Keith?"

" _I got your lion back_."

"You did?" he whispered, "You did!? Oh jeez, thank you Keith! Thank you!" Keith was talking to him. He was talking to him! J-Just chill out about that, Lance. Act cool… "Thank you, Keith." He says again.

" _Yeah. I'm coming down to get you."_

"Huh?" above him, the Red lion appeared from the skies.

Lance felt nervous when he realized it was Keith coming to pick him up. Shifting, quick to change from lying down to sitting up while handcuffed to a tree, he held his breath as Keith got out.

He strolled towards him, stoic as he pulled out his weapon. "The stuff you get into."

"Yeah yeah…" Lance looked away, humiliated enough as it was, "Just get this over with so I can go back to the castle and check on Blue…" When Keith didn't move Lance was forced to look at him. "What?"

Keith moved to one knee in front of him. At the change in position, Lance pressed himself deeper to the tree, blushing when Keith asked, "Are you hurt?"

W-What was he getting so flustered for? "N-No. She just handcuffed me."

"Is that all she did?" Keith's eyes were burning. "Did she say anything to you? You sounded upset on the comm."

"Well- wouldn't you be if you were in my position?" Lance inquired with a scowl. "I'm handcuffed to a moon tree and my lion got stolen…"

"Yeah, I can see that. So what is this?" he motioned to the side of Lance's head where a bruise was starting to take form. "If she didn't do this, then what did? Did you get frustrated and hit your head against the floor?" When Lance didn't answer, Keith sighed when he realized that was what happened. "You idiot." he lifted his blade, "Hold on, I'll cut the ropes." He inched reached out, stretching over Lance.

Lance turned to put his face to the tree, knowing that if he looked the other way he would come face to face with Keith's chest.

"…" Keith didn't move.

"…Something wrong?" Lance whispered.

Instead of simply cutting the rope, Keith moved his hand down, gripping Lance's wrist with one hand while the other cut the rope. Startled by the action and glad he was turned away from Keith's gaze, Lance's felt his face burning to the point his cheeks felt painful.

Lance felt his arms relax when the tug on them was released and the cuffs fell. Expecting Keith to step away since the job was done, he instead got pulled back to rest against the Red Paladin's chest.

Both of his wrists were grabbed tightly by Keith and tucked up to his chest, Keith's head buried in the mess of Lance's hair.

"Glad nothing serious happened this time." Keith murmurs into his ear. Lance wondered how he managed to hear that through the beating of his own chest… It was intense- the beating of his own heart was so fast, he wondered if one heart was going to be enough to keep him living through this.

"Y-Yeah…" he licked his lips.

With that, Keith pulled away and turned to get to his feet. "Let's get back to the castle."

Lance couldn't move from his spot at first, his body shaking too much to command his legs to move. Realizing Keith might glance back at him soon if he didn't act, he forced himself to his feet, grabbed his helmet, and scrambled onto the red lion.

Stumbling in, using the falls to keep him upright, he muttered, "Hey, Red." he realized this was probably the first time he had ever even seen the inside of the Red lion before.

The ride back was long, and painfully quiet.

He… He should say something. This was his chance. They were alone and Keith seemed to be taking his time back on purpose.

"Um…"

"Yeah?" Keith snapped his head in Lance's direction. Both were a little alarmed at how quick his reply was, they straightened and turned away. "…What did you need?" Keith asks through slightly gritted teeth a few seconds later.

"I uh…" Lance rubbed at his arms, feeling sweat pooling on his brow, "I want to talk."

"We are."

"About this morning." He notices how Red seems to falter a little in the straight line they've been flying, but he doesn't say anything. "You- I wasn't expecting you to say all of that."

Keith lowers his head a little, "I… surprised myself too."

That almost makes things seem a little better, but Lance can't help but pace a little when he says, "You caught me off guard and I didn't know what to say then- But I just wanted to tell you now that I…" he trailed off, his thoughts disappearing into the voice, his confidence dwindling into the pits of his stomach to rot.

"That you?" Keith drawls out.

"I don't- You-" his head is spinning. Can someone tell him why he is trying to take the advice of an Alien chick that just betrayed him?! This was a horrible idea! "What I mean to say is that I-" he made a weird noise. Keith turned to look at him, raising an eyebrow.

"What?"

"You. And It. And me." He struggled.

"…" Keith glances around a little, "Maybe you hit your head a little too hard…"

"I didn't." he pauses, "I might have. But I didn't cause I need to say this to you and you are just making this- with the thing that is hard that is me struggling to speak and- AH!" He throws his head back, "Why is this so hard?!"

"I don't know."

"Yes you do! So just- just- Don't do that anymore…" Lance covered his face.

Keith was puzzled, "What?"

"Ignore me. Don't ignore me. I don't want you to do that…" When he looked at Keith again, all he could see were wide Purple iris', staring at him such shock that the red paladin wasn't even looking at where he was going anymore.

It was a kind of shock Lance hadn't seen since that first night they kissed an entire year ago.

"I want you to talk to me, Keith."

"...I warned you." And then Keith was moving, getting up from his chair and towards him with a glazed over look that took Lance's breath away.

"Wait-" he couldn't tear his gaze away. Slim fingers slipped against his chin, sliding back to his ears and cupping his entire face. "K-Kei- stop." he stammered frantically, tensing when his back hit the wall of Red.

'I warned you about what would happen." Keith cornered him, "This is all on you..." perhaps it was the warmth of his hands, or the unwavering promise of his eyes, but Lance didn't pull away. Whatever spell or witchcraft Keith possessed, it was working.

"Close your eyes..." at Keith's request, he did.

Keith Kogane was going to kiss him.

"Lance…"

The faint feeling of Keith's breath on his lips was the last thing he could feel before Red slammed into something big. They screamed, and Lance was seeing stars with a heavy thud.

* * *

When he opened his eyes again, he was in a cryo pod- the others staring at him with blank faces.

"Morning, Sunshine~" Pidge frowned.

"…" Lance looked around wildly, "What? Where am I?" Ohmygod, was that all just a dream?!

"Can I just ask… how?" Allura demanded, "How do you two even manage to- I just- do you have goo for brains?"

Looking to his right at the sound of a pod opening, he watched Keith stumble out. Were they both in pods?

"Uh…" he groaned and put a hand to his temple. "What happened?"

"You crashed your lion into the Castle and knocked yourselves out." Hunk explains, "You both head-butted something and were outcold…"

Lance reached up to graze his forehead, glancing at Keith. If Keith was thinking the same thing than it was pretty obvious what they head-butted as the both of them reached up to rub their foreheads.

"Oh…" Lance glanced away, recalling the close uh… encounter the two had almost shared. Centimeters. Literally, centimeters and they would have kissed. That's the kind of shit you read from romance novels but it was happening to him.

….Thank god that happened to him because he would not be able to look anyone in the eye right now if he had actually kissed Keith in that moment.

"Way to crash the Lion, Keith." He was quick to avoid any sort of awkwardness and turned to the only thing he could- being smug. Be as smug as smug can be! Smug it up! Bury your embarrassment beneath layers of smug sass!

Keith was mortified and turned so fast he had himself stumbling, "Excuse me?!"

"You heard me, Mr. _Top fighter pilot."_ He sneered.

"Why you- You ruined our bonding moment!" Keith was ready to lunge at him. Lance scrambled away, hiding behind Hunk. Perhaps this could be considered the norm for them?

...Would they be okay after all that?

Oh jeez... this just got 10 times worse, didn't it?


	13. Struggles of Pens and Romance

He had been catching the long looks of Keith a lot more often these last few hours. Before they left Arus, he knew Keith would stare at him… but it was different this time.

His heated gaze was dark, never once tearing from the Blue Paladin in front of him. Those purple iris' lifted and lowered in time with Lance's spoon- narrowing slightly when it would graze his lips.

He felt self-conscious at the gaze, freezing up whenever Keith would look back at his eyes.

Those eyes were merciless, piercing his very soul and pulling it around wherever they pleased- toying with his heart and mind! His knees would shake, his mouth growing dry in a matter of seconds- his spine felt prickly. It was driving him insane!  
...H-He kind of liked it.

Steadying himself when another plate of Goo that was placed in front of him, he thanked Coran. He smiled brightly at him, "Think nothing of it. You Paladins are about to go into your first real mission in an hour or so- you gotta make sure you keep up your energy!"

They ate in silence, the upcoming mission waning on their minds.

Keith is handing him a fresh glass of water before he even realizes he is thirsty. Struggling to swallow, Lance reached for it without much thought.

When he takes it, his fingers may have lingered for just a second too long before he brings the glass back to him, taking a large gulp.

Keith retracts his hand back casually, propping it up using his elbow to lean the side of his face against it. Lance almost choked when Keith's lips intentionally brushed against his own fingers in some quiet but very suggestive action.

Feeling a warmth in his stomach and a pounding of blood behind his ears Lance takes another sip of his drink and continues to stuff his mouth.

"Geez Lance-" Pidge inches away from him, "Chill out. You are eating like this is going to be your last meal or something."

"Just- you know- hungry." he coughed when he swallowed wrong.

"Serves you right."

When the meal was done, Lance groaned and patted his stomach, feeling it tighten from too much consumption. "Regretting choices."

"Poor you." Hunk chuckles at him, pushing in his chair, "All right guys!" he pumps his fists, "Game faces. Let's go save Shay!" he ran out with so much enthusiasm that the others were running with him. Lance couldn't seem to pull himself from his chair.

Grunting that he was going to throw up by the end of today, he forced his chair to pull away from the table and turned.

Pausing at the sight of a loose lace, Lance leaned down to tie his shoe. Tying the strings into a nice knot, something blue caught his eyes. It was laying flat on the floor, halfway under one of the legs of the table, as if it had rolled there.

Curious, he got off his chair to reach his hand under the table. Pulling the blue object towards him, he lifted it, gasped, then dropped it to the floor like it burned.

With a small thud it rolled- It was a blue ball pen. While not normally something one would panic over, it was alarming to Lance.

It couldn't be-

He had seen Keith with it so much last year that it had be! Lance had given him the stupid thing during the first couple of encounters they had with each other.

What was this doing here of all places? Did one of the others bring a pen from earth? There were a billion like it so the chances were high. Just because it was blue didn't mean- he flipped it, noticing the bite marks on the bottom.

Subconsciously running his tongue along his own teeth he is fully aware of how his knees were beginning to wobble. This was his pen.

Dry mouthed and weak-kneed Lance has to shut his eyes to stop himself from running to that unbelievable red Paladin.

Keith had cherished this a year ago, for whatever weird reason that was, so could it be that he was still doing it now? Did Keith really keep this thing on him after all this time?

That would insinuate that he had it on his person when they first saw each other when saving Shiro. And it would mean he kept it hidden on his person through every moment- arguments, traveling, flying, sleeping…

M-Maybe he just forgot it was even his and was just carrying it around as any normal person would do. A pen was just a pen after all- it wasn't uncommon for people to have and use them. Why was Lance even freaking out over this? If he really wanted to know, he could just go and ask-

Leaping to his feet when the door opened, Lance threw his hand behind his back, hiding the pen from unwanted eyes.

The very reason of his heartache had decided to walk in a second later, looking puzzled as he stared around. "H-Hey, Keith," Lance said as chipper as he could.

"...Hey." he nodded back, simple and to the point. He looked focused, as if he were on some sort of hunt.

"Looking for something?" Lance asked nervously.

Keith stood still, eyes looking everywhere but him, "Kind of. I just- misplaced something." He glanced under the table. Not seeing whatever he was looking for there, he stood up with a huff, "Where is it?" he muttered with a tight voice. He was angry...

Lance was a mess- He wanted to know what it was he was looking for but he also dreaded the answer, "Can... I help? What are you looking for?" he inquired, hoping he didn't sound as anxious as he felt.

Keith turned from him quickly, "N-Nothing." he insists, "Just something personal."

Lance tightened his grip on the pen. "Okay…" he nods and Keith leaves. Lance ends up trailing after him with a child-like curiousity.

When Keith stopped to give him a heavy stare, Lance looked away, whistling. "So, how personal is this?" he inquired casually.

"It is just personal." Keith continues to shuffle down the hall, Lance a few feet back from him, "Are you following me?" he questions when they get to the end of the hall.

"No." he doesn't miss a beat, "Just- heading to the main deck."

"Well the main deck is that way." he motions to the opposite hall.

Lance's lips make a thin line and he nods, "Oh uh- yeah." he pauses and then asks, "So this thing you are looking for, is it big or small? What color is it?"

Keith steps back, "It is nothing, Lance." he insists, oddly defensive, "I'll find it on my own, it isn't a big deal."

"Oh yeah, no I get that. I understand…." he continued to stare at Keith, a few ticks passing them by before he says, "Is it something that you fight with or is it more modern lifestyle? Like a pillow or something? Though I'm sure you could find some way to fight with a Pillow, if I'm honest."

"This conversation is over, Lance." Keith turns and runs down the hall. Lance wants to follow but forces himself to hold still. When Keith is gone, he slowly looks down at the pen in his hands. With a few calming breaths, he stuffs it into his pocket and goes to join the others.

When he got to the deck, they waited for 10 minutes for Keith to arrive. His frustrated look remained, and Lance had to ask, "Did you find it?"

"No." he looks away.

The bubbling feeling in Lance's stomach grew as he nods, "I-I'm sure you will."  
"What are you looking for?" Pidge inquires.

"Nothing." Keith grumbles, refusing to look at anyone, "Just drop it, okay?"

Shrugging, they turn their attention to the screen. The Balmera was right in sight. It was huge, and Lance was starting to wonder how in the world they were going to pull this off. "So what is the plan?" he inquired, "We just go in there and go, Pow, pow, pow, and free the prisoners?" he inquires, making gun sound effects.

Keith, with a hand on his hip, gave Lance a long stare, "What was that noise?" he smirks a little, as if he found the actions endearing.

"Laser guns," Lance answers smugly.

"No Lance, I think you mean-" Hunk commenced his own version of laser gun noises.

"That sounded like fireworks," Lance argues.

"Technically it is more like-" Pidge made little noises to copy the sound.

"Okay, enough of the bad sound effects," Shiro puts his hands together to form a gun, "Besides, it is more like, Blam, blam, blam." with each _blam_ he strikes a different pose.

"What?" Keith gawked at him.

"No way!" the rest of them argued.

"Paladins!" Allura yelled at them, "Please, focus."

Hunk cleared his throat, "Besides, we can't just shot at the Balmera. This is one big creature that is alive, and it isn't in the best condition right now. We have to be careful with it." he says gently, like the big kind lug that he was.

They decided a plan together from there- deciding that it would be best to do as little damage to the Balmera as possible. Deciding to take out the main power source first, they ran to their lions and shot off. It was bizarre going into battle like they did.

They were discovering new things about their loins with each passing second- like Blue being able to use ice? That was new! Why didn't Allura mention any of this?! Maybe she didn't know? She must have…

Whatever, either way, it was cool!

"This is weird." Hunk says, "None of the Galra are coming out."

" _Paladins."_ Allura warns them, " _I'm picking up readings of a large hangar of fighter jets below the surface. You must stop those from launching."_

"Keith, Lance. You handle that."

Great…

"The rest of us will get rid of the Galra in the tunnels."

Landing their lions together, the two of them jumped down into their speeders. Activating them, they shot down the tunnels together, following the instructions of Coran and Allure to get to their destination. Once arriving, the two leaped out and pressed to the walls, keeping as low as they could to avoid detection.

Inching forward, they peeked over the side to the large hangar bay below them.

"That is a lot of fighter pilots." Lance whistled.

"The entire hangar is only being guarded by a few sentries," Keith noted. Rising to his feet, he pulled out his weapon, "Let's go!"

Lance leaped into action, pulling Keith back by his shoulders, "Whoa whoa whoa whoa, hold your jets, Keith!" Lance tossed him back onto the ground, "Don't you remember all that stuff about the Balmara being a sensitive animal?"

Keith blinked, face growing a little pale at the memory, "Oh. Right," he moved into his signature thinking pose.

"Yeah." Lance rolled his eyes. "So we can't just blow things up like a psycho."

"Oh, you've got a better plan?" Keith grumbled.

"I do." he smirked and patted Keith's head to tease him. Motioned forward, he pointed to the structure ahead of them, "We sneak into the control room to shut down the bay doors. That'll trap the ships in."

"That-!" Keith cut himself off, shocked, "Actually is a better idea." he admitted, "Good job, Lance."

Lance would have been pissed that Keith originally had no belief in his brilliant plan but the complete affection in Keith's voice caught him off guard. "...C-Course, I do what I do."

"We'll follow your plan."

Lance chuckled at him, running ahead. Finding himself smiling too, Keith quickly followed after him. "Careful not to fall." he warns.

Lance snorts, he had been waiting for this, "Ah, there you are."

"Huh?" Keith asked.

"Well, you've gone almost an entire two days without warning me about obvious threats." Lance explains, "Like this one for example, I think I can remind myself not to fall when we are walking over a dangerous walkway leading to a 30-foot drop. You do this all the time."

"No, I don't."

"Yes, you do. It is honestly overbearing at times. Overbearing Keith is what I'll call you from now on."

"Don't call me that."

"Overprotective Keith?  
"No."  
"O-Keith? The o can stand for both Overbearing and overprotective."

"Lance."

"Yes, O-Keith?" he inquires innocently.

"Stop."

Laughing when they got to the main controls, Lance knelt down to an air shaft. Opening it, the two snuck their way inside, crawling around aimlessly for a few seconds. Barely able to find their way, Lance noticed a light coming from one tunnel.

"No no, it's over here." he tugged on Keith's foot when he began to crawl the wrong way.

Grunting a little, Keith huffed at him, "I know what I am doing."

"Oh yeah, sure." He felt like he was bickering with a grouchy old man. Maneuvering their way above the Sentry guarding the controls Lance stepped back as Keith pulled out his Bayard. Cutting an all too perfect circle into the metal, Lance gave a little bounce and slammed his feet against it.

With enough pressure, the slice in the metal tore apart from the rest and Lance crashed into the robot from above. Damaging it enough to stop it from functioning, he gave Keith a small thumbs up when he swung down, "You keep watch while I try to figure this out."

Keith nodded and inched to look out the window.

"Hmm." Lance knelt to the controls, rubbing his chin. "Uh…" realizing none of this was English, or even Spanish, he bit his lips. Testing a few buttons, scanning the entire screen over and over, he sighed, "Keith, I don't know what I'm doing here." he informed him, "It is all Galra gibberish."

The Red Paladin crawled back to him, saying, "Let me see." Soaking in the sight of the screen, not sure what he was looking, he pursed his lips a little at a large hand pad. Reaching towards it, he placed his palm to it.

The warning sound went off a second later, the hangar doors officially closing.

"How did you do that?" Lance was baffled.

"I just put my hand on the pad." Keith explained, equally as lost. Confused, they stared at his palm together.

"That is weird." Lance reached forward to poke it, "I couldn't do it." he ran his fingers along Keith's, turning them and squeezing, feeling for anything weird or different compared to his glove. Maybe it was something special about the red paladin's suit that could let him do that? They would have to ask Allura later.

"I-I don't know…" the breathlessness of Keith's voice had Lance looking up at him. He was staring at him with wide eyes, mouth hanging open. Lance is entranced by the sight, eyes flickering between those parted lips and Keith's darkening gaze.

The warning he received next was surprising, "You are really pushing something here, Lance."

"I-" Lance tensed, mortified at what he was doing. "What?"

"You better be willing to make up for the things you do," Keith curled his fingers around Lance's before he could pull away, entangling them together.

"Y-Yeah?" Lance stammers a reply, heart kicking into overdrive, "What exactly a-am I doing?" the blood was creeping up his throat when Keith reached forward with his free hand to grab a strand of Lance's hair and move it out of his face. With gentle fingers, Keith brushed the bang behind his ear- a teasing finger running down the shell of it before pulling away.

"You're blushing." he husks.

Lance sucks in a breath, cheeks hot and bright, "I'm not." he is quick to deny even if half of him was screaming at him not to, "It is hot. Really-" a thumb brushes over his lips, cutting off any other sense of trying to wiggle his way out of this.

"I'm burning up in here," Keith agrees, lifting the captured hand of the blue paladin before him. He kissed the gloved fingers tentatively,

With a wet gasp, feeling so lost he doesn't know where to look or what to do, he leaned backward. Keith followed the movement, delving into Lance's space enough to have the slightly taller man scooting back until his spine hit the control panel.

"Kei- we're on a mission," Lance says weakly, breath going tiny with each inhale.

But then Keith is bending his face closer, his breath ghosting over Lance's cheek, "Then tell me to stop,"

That wasn't fair. He couldn't just- not when he kind of wanted this to continue.

Lance bites his lips, chest heaving, "T-This is kind of an awkward spot, you know-" he gasps when Keith's lips graze his chin.

"I know-"

" _Paladins,"_ The two freeze when Allura's voice echoes through their comms, " _Are you there?"_

Sweet mother of crow, Lance felt his heart stop, hands going cold against Keith's.

" _It looks like the Galra forces are moving towards the center of the Balmera."_

" _That is where they are holding Shay!"_ Hunk announces.

Eyes wide, Keith and Lance stare at each other in a frozen silence. They felt even the slightest breath would inform the others of their current position.

Shiro clicks his teeth, " _They are drawing us into an ambush, but we don't have a choice if we want to save Shay. Keith, Lance?"_

They tense, barely managing to squeak out a, "Y-Yes?" Oh god, were they caught? Did everyone hear them? Lance was positive he had turned his comm off, but did Keith?!

Instead, Shiro says, " _Get to the core. I think we are going to need everyone together to get through this fire fight."_

Shoving Keith off of him, Lance leaped to his feet with a, "Roger, on our way," Clearing his throat, he scrambled towards the door. Exiting the room, he watched Keith slash at the control to prevent further use. Running after Lance, he gave him a side glance and kept going.

Lance swallowed and shot at the door, then followed after him.

What has he gotten himself into?

* * *

 **00000-00000**

None of the Paladins could really move by the end of the day. Exhaustion was hitting them like a bus.

First it was a battle to get to the core of the Balmera, then a battle to get out of the Balmera, then to defend the Balmera! It was endless- and even then, even after Lance thought it was over, this big eyeball thing came crashing at them!

They all almost died, barely making it out alive due to the Balmera stepping in to help them. It was almost kind of pretty how the creature had been caught and frozen within crystal- forever standing there. I mean, you kind of had to look at it looming at you, but at least it was stuck.

At least at the end of this he got to meet the girl who Hunk had been non-stop fawning over.

"I am Shay," she held out a hand towards Lance.

"Lance." he shook it with a smile, "I've heard a lot about you. _A lot,"_

"Lance," Hunk nudged him.

Not often given the chance to tease Hunk, he smirked mischievously, "He was so worried about you," he carried on, "Guy wouldn't shut up about how amazing you were."  
Startled to hear that, Shay gave Hunk a shy smile, "Really?"

"Uh-" Hunk turned red, shoving Lance away, "Don't you have some- _stuff,_ to go and do?" he demanded.

Lance tried to suppress his laughter under his hand, "But Hunk~"

"No! Leave!" Hunk was waving his hands, pushing Lance back with each step, "Go. Shoo, shoo," he insisted.

Giggling, Lance scurried away. Trailing back to the castle, enjoying the sight of the Balmerans cheering and enjoying the surface, he found Shiro resting towards a few rocks. "Hey, Space Dad,"

Shiro gives him a look but is too tired to say anything, "Hey, Lance. You doing okay?"

"Yeah," he plops himself down with a sigh, "What a day."  
"You can say that again."

"How is Allura?" Lance inquires. When he had seen her last, she hadn't looked too great. Both Shiro and Coran had to help carry her inside from how weak she was.

Sighing, Shiro shrugged a little, "Coran says she will be fine with rest. She really put a lot into saving the Balmera." his voice dies off a little, "We all did." he pats Lance's shoulder, "Good work out there."  
"Aww," Lance gushes, "Thanks, Space dad."

"Stop." he points at him.

"No." They share a small laugh.

Taking a moment to just breath and enjoy the others company, Lance leaned his head back. It had gotten colder on the Balmera's surface since the sun set, but the chill felt next against his neck, "So- what do we do now?"

"Continue to free other planets just like this one, I suppose." Shiro says, "It is hard to simply come up with an entire plan for the whole universe." Shiro glances at him, frowning, "Is everything alright?"

"Huh?"

"You seem a little distracted lately."

"Oh…" Lance fumbled with the strap on his wrist, "I'm fine. A lot of going on lately, that is all."

Leaning forward, his leaders asks, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Yes… but I can't." Lance turns away. "It isn't that I don't trust you, it is just hard to put everything into words."

"Lance." A gentle hand is placed on his shoulder, "You never have to force yourself to talk to me. Even if you can only get out a few words, I'll listen."

Lance pursed his lips and nodded, "Thanks, Shiro… I-" feeling a heavy weight on his chest, he frowned, "I don't know what I'm doing anymore. I thought I could just be a Paladin of Voltron and that would be it- nothing else. Just worry about stopping Zarkon and saving people- but now I'm worrying about… about so many other things that it is driving me crazy. I don't know what to do."

Nodding, Shiro asks, "Are you able to tell me what those _other things_ are?"

"I don't know." he admits, "I want to, but-" he finds himself laughing at the whole thing, "If I tell you, would you keep it a secret?"

"Of course, Lance."

'Even from Keith?"

There is a pause, and then he receives a nod, "Even from Keith." he promises. A little relieved to hear that, Lance adjusts himself to a more comfortable position.

"Good, because it is about him."

His Space dad nods knowingly, and it almost pisses Lance off that he basically expecting this, "I figured."

"What do you mean _you figured?"_ Lance scowls. Shiro is quick to hold his hands up in surrender.

"Nothing bad." he assures him, "I just noticed that it is kind of… tense, when you two are together." he chooses his words carefully.

"Oh… So it is really that obvious?" Anger dissipating, Lance hunches his shoulders.

"A little." Shiro nods, "But I've also known Keith for a very long time, and you are very open about how you feel, Lance. That is nothing to be ashamed of. It is a good thing that you trust others enough to be so natural around them. Ther is nothing wrong with it."

"There is everything wrong with it," he says coldly, "I've been trying to get over him…" he grips the side of his head in frustration, "I've been trying to get over him for an entire year, Shiro. Nothing is working! And Keith that… that jerk! He just has to ruin all this progress I made." he feels close to tears, but refuses to let himself cry. "I'm just so tired…"

The silence that follows is crushing. Lance can't but wonder what is running through Shiro's head, his eyes shielding whatever thoughts the older Paladin might be feeling. When he opens his mouth, Lance holds his breath, "Which part are you tired of, Lance?" he questions.

"What?"

"Are you tired of the fact that you can't get over Keith?" he pauses, "Or are you tired of fighting against it?"

Lance feels ready to explode, "Everything!" he cried out, hating how Shiro could see right through him. "I"m tired of everything!"

Shiro backed away a little, startled. Realizing he snapped, Lance pulled himself back. Taking a few breaths, he shakily said, "S-Sorry. I didn't mean to-" he never intended to take his frustrations out on Shiro. That was the last thing he ever wanted. But what else could he do? He just wanted these feelings gone. Everything was just going too fast and he couldn't keep up with it.

"Lance… Lance!" Shiro says, "It is okay. Just breath." with pats to his back, Shiro hushes him, "You aren't doing anything wrong- It is okay."

"How do you know?" he sniffed, "We are in space, Shiro. Anything and everything could go wrong!"

"I'm not going to deny that, but Lance, you aren't alone in this. You have friends you can turn to…" his voice grew gentle, "Why haven't you mentioned any of this to anyone? I would think Hunk or Pidge would be the first people you talk to."

"I can't tell them," he croaks, "Who knows what they'll do."

"They are your friends, Lance."

"Exactly! If I tell them that I'm freaking out over Keith- o-or that I… If I tell them how I am feeling, they might go to him about it. Or they might get mad at me!"

Shiro couldn't believe his ears, "Mad at you? Why in the world would they get mad at you, Lance?"

He wasn't even sure anymore- he just felt so anxious and frustrated, "I dunno…" He couldn't explain it; the way he was feeling. Everything was mixed- up was down and down was up. "I just want things to be normal." looking up, he knew that could never be. "But of course, you and me are sitting on a giant animal the size of a planet- so things will probably never be _normal."_

Shiro was already chuckling, "Yeah, I guess we really are past things being normal anymore," he gave Lance a small smile, "But Lance, even if things can't be normal, that doesn't mean you have to push through this by yourself. If you can't turn to Pidge and Hunk, then you can at least come to me. I won't get mad at you for how you are feeling, I promise. And if you want things to be kept a secret, I can do that too. Nothing we say will be told to anyone else."

Sniffing a few times, Lance brushed his thumb over his eye to catch a tear before it fell, "Thanks… Space Dad."

"You are never going to drop that, are you?" he sighed.

"Never." The blue paladin nodded, "In fact, you just make me want to say it more and more."

Laughing into the quiet night, Lance felt a sense of peace. "I think Keith... still likes me."

"Did he tell you that?"

"No. It is just a feeling. But-" he hugs his knees, "That is what scares me the most."

"Why?"

Biting his lips, Lance is surprised he is able to say, "If he never stopped like me... then why did he push me away? Why did he leave me? Why didn't he come back?" his voice cracks at the end and he turns, "Sorry..."

"Never apologize for how you feel, Lance." Shiro wraps his arm around Lance's shoulder, side hugging him, "Never."

As Shiro and him talked, he never once realized that behind them, a yellow paladin was listening.

With narrowed eyes, not meaning to overhear what he had just heard, he stormed back to the castle.

* * *

 **0000-0000**

Later that night, Lance found himself wondering the Balmera, admiring the crystals that were just beginning to break the surface. In such a short time the barren wasteland was beginning to shine with new hope.

"Hey…" a voice caught his attention. Seated against a rock, looking out to the distance, Keith gave him a small nod.

"...Hey." he says back, scratching the back of his neck, "What are you doing out here?"

"Star gazing. You?"

"Same." Folding his arms, Lance leaned back.

They sat in silence, staring out towards the galaxy, enjoying this sense of peace. After a battle like that, they need this. It didn't feel awkward either- it was nice just being able to stare at stars with Keith.

"Tough day," Lance says.

"Yup."

"Do you think every mission will be like this?"

Keith shrugs a little, "Probably?"

"Fun…" Lance fakes a cheer. The two chuckle. It is nice.

Then Keith yawned, something Lance hardly heard him do, "We should both get some sleep."

"Yeah." Lance agrees. Watching Keith jump off the rock he was sitting on, he let him pass. It was only as he started to listen to Keith's disappearing footprint that he remembered something.

"Oh wait! Um…" Lance cleared his throat, "Keith?"

He turned to him, "Yeah?"

Lance made a little noise of discomfort, struggling to say what he wanted to, "So um… this morning I was eating breakfast and I- well, while I was there I needed to tie my shoe."

"...Okay?" Keith says, not sure what was bringing this one. "That is… cool?"

"That isn't the point of the story." Lance grumbles at him only to instantly lose his nerve, "The point is that-that, while I was there I- underneath the table-" he couldn't say it. Instead he simply lifted the pen out of his pocket and held it out.

The face Keith made was beyond all of Lance's expectations. It was blank. Whatever feeling Keith had, it was hidden away behind his eyes.

"Is this yours?" Lance inquires. He knew it had to be, but he needed to confirm. When Keith didn't move or show any sign that it was, he wondered if he got it wrong. Had he been flustered and freaked about this all day and it wasn't even his? The idea of that made Lance squirm a little, "Is it?" he asked more firmly.

Keith didn't say a word. It was starting to scare him.

"Keith?"

The slow drain of blood from Keith's face was starting to turn blue.

"Keith? Keith?" Lance moved towards him in a panic. He put his hand below his nose. There was no inhaling or exhaling. "What the- Breath. Breath, Keith." Lance started to shake him. Keith refused.

"If I can… holdmybreathlongenough… I can make myself… pass out…" he said through a tight throat.

"So then this is your pen- Keith breath!" Slipping the pen into Keith's pocket, where he knew it belong, he started to call for the others. "Shiro! Shiro! Keith is being rebellious again and refuses to breath!"

Shiro appeared several seconds later with an angry father look, "Keith! We've discussed this!" he bellowed.

Pidge stumbled after him, "Makes you realize that Keith has refused to be normal and breath more than once."

Letting them all take action, Lance stepped back, taking his own heavy breaths to calm himself down.

When everything was said and down, the team returned to the castle to rest. Lance was too tired to think of this anymore and gladly returned to his room.

Keith lingered, pacing back and forth along the Castle deck. He gripped the blue pen tightly in his fist, keeping it hidden within his pocket. He had been so careful to keep this a secret while they were here- how could he have just dropped it during lunch?

And for Lance to have found it?

He groaned into his hand, embarrassment shooting up his spin and making his stomach churn. Hiding his face he wondered, "What did I do to deserve this?"

Well- he knew that answer. He let Lance go.

The biggest mistake of his life and now he was paying the price. Honestly, it was all pretty fair.

With a heavy sigh, he straightened his jacket and turned towards the hall. Making his way back to his room, he was surprised to see that Hunk was waiting for him.

"Hunk?" he asked.

He had been leaning against his door, arms crossed and gaze set, "Keith,"

"Did you need something?"

At the cold look, Keith knew he did, "We need to talk."

* * *

 **GUYS! The chapter is now over, but my friend and me wrote this messed up little thing below. I mean, they fought for several hours straight, so we thought the team might have some weird dreams once they are finally able to get some rest so... here is a weird little scene.**

 **000000-00000000**

 _"I like big butts and I cannot lie" Keith sang, sliding into them room, dressed in some bizarre_ go go _girls outfit._

 _"You other fellas can't deny~"Shiro sang along, sporting similar colors._

 _"When a girl walks in with an_ itty bitty _waist and a round thing in your face~" Hunk snapped their fingers_

 _"YOU GET FUNKY!" Lance jumped into the air._

 _"My milkshake bring all the boys to the yard"_

 _"And their like-"_

 _"Damn right it's better than_ yours. _" Lance say to Keith._

 _" I can teach_ you , _but I have to charge~"_

"AHH!" Pidge sat up with a scream, scanning her room in fright. "What the hell?" she murmured to herself, realizing that whatever she just witnessed was some messed up dream. "..." laying back down without a word, refusing to think too deeply on it, she sighed. "Welp…That was a thing." You would think she would dream about more important things, like her Dad and brother- but no. Her brain was just weird, apparently.


	14. All a little lost

Keith knew things would end badly before he invited Hunk to step into his room- it was just a matter of how badly.

Would it end with both of them arguing a little then ignoring each other for a while? Or would it leave them with bruises on their faces like the last time they had a one on one chat?

"So, what is this about?" He folds his arms, keeping his tone even.

Hunk doesn't say anything at first, his eyes trailing around Keith's room. When he finally did, he asked something Keith wasn't expecting, "Did you love him?"

"What?"

"Lance. Did you love him back at Garrison?" He asks this almost casually, like it didn't matter what the answer was in the end, and perhaps to him it didn't. The result was that Keith left either way.

Licking his lips, the red paladin was hesitant to ask, "Why are you bringing this up now?"

"I'm just curious." Hunk says innocently, "Lance made it very clear how he felt about you, and while I thought we were friends back then, I couldn't ever tell how you were thinking. So when you left, I didn't really know how to feel. I wanted to understand, and this is odd for me to say- but I hated you," Hunk shrugged to himself, as if he couldn't believe the notion himself, "I just couldn't wrap my head around it. Lance is awesome and showed you nothing but support and care… so how did things end up the way they did?"

Keith didn't say anything- he couldn't. What could he say that didn't sound like some pitiful excuse?

"And the worse thing- I'm more angry towards myself than at you. Lance turned to me when you broke up- and I couldn't help him at all. And I'm his soul friend- you know? I should be able to help him through this, but I can't- because of you! Isn't that weird?" Hunk is pacing, "You are the only one who can set this right but you are the one who caused this in the first place! _You_ were the one to break his heart and drive him into a little hole. _You_ were the one to make him lose his smile for half a year! _You_ were the one who made him feel so depressed that he flunked his piloting test- his dream since he was, what, five years old?!"

Keith had to cut in, unable to believe his own ears, "He flunked it?" that couldn't be. Lance was a great pilot- second in his class the whole time Keith was there! With him gone it should have assured Lance the top spot! "He told me he was fighter class!"

"He is- barely." Hunk growled. "He only got in because you got kicked out, Keith. But you probably weren't paying any attention to him or his ranking in class because of your grumpy attitude!"

He had to step back and lean against his wall to steady himself. He had no idea… He never wanted- oh god… Flashes of Lance talking about his dream to fly amongst the stars were hitting him hard. He had glowed in those moments- eyes shining with so much hope and belief to his dream. And Keith killed that?

Feeling like he wanted to throw up, he covered his mouth, "I didn't know…"

"Of course you didn't! Jeez! You piss me off!"

"The feeling is mutual-" Keith knew Hunk had a point- he always did- but he pride wouldn't allow him to just stand here and quietly take this. But maybe he should… he deserved it. He deserved all of it.

"Well good for you! Something pisses you off- isn't that a shocker?! Well you don't get to state any opinions right now, mister! You get to just listen. So listen up! You hurt Lance! You hurt him so much that he changed- and not in any good ways. Any confidence he had was shot because of you! He couldn't smile for the longest time! Sometimes he still fakes one to get through the day, but he thinks I don't notice! He doesn't even flirt anymore- that is the weirdest thing for me to miss. Flirting and being cocky was Lance's thing- it made him who he was. He doesn't even try to do that anymore. No- he is too afraid to get hurt to ever try that again!"

Keith grit his teeth a little, each word feeling like a dagger to the heart. He wasn't an idiot- he noticed these changes. But hearing them outloud felt just as bad as seeing them.

"And it all because of you!" Hunk gripped the edge of Keith's shirt, lifting him with no struggle at all. Letting his legs dangled, Keith grit his teeth, forcing himself not to kick at Hunk's chest. It was only in these moments that he was reminded of just how strong Hunk was.

Grunting, Keith asks, "What do you want?"

Venom drips off the larger paladin's voice when he says, "I want you to _back off,"_

Keith narrowed his eyes, lips forming a thin line, "I'm trying,"

"Try harder," Hunk turns, taking Keith with him, tossing him around like a doll, "Because I want you to listen and listen to me carefully; Lance forgives too easily sometimes. He's done that for as long as I've known him, even for those who really have not deserved it. I understand how he feels most of the time- but I can't ever understand how he can even smile at you after what you've done. But after some time- I think I get it."

"Get what?" Keith pulled at Hunk's wrist, trying to get the large man to release him. It wasn't really working.

"He loved you."

Keith went still, body going limp.

"He loved you so much Keith- god, the guy wouldn't stop talking about you. You were his entire world." Hunk closed his eyes at the memories, "When you guys broke up, he got so sick I thought they would have to take him to the hospital."

"What?" the red paladin grip was slipping, eyes wide and lost, "I... I never heard about that."

"Well, Lance didn't go around announcing it." Hunk grumbled. "And because Lance hates to bring others down. I bet even during all of that, he never wanted you to worry about him."

With a few shaky breaths, the smaller paladin swallowed, "Then what are you asking, huh? That I stop talking to him?"

"No you idiot!"

"Wha- What the hell, Hunk?!"

"What the hell to you! I said back off, not be a jerk! If you ignored him now that would just confuse him even more! Or worse, he might just blindly try to get back your attention to get closure! He is confused right now- ignoring him would just leave him with empty questions!"

"What the hell do you want me to do then?! Ignore him or talk to him!?"

"I don't know!" Hunk roared, "I don't understand anything anymore! I'm pissed at you, Keith! So pissed that I want to kick you into the trash disposal! Just- be not the jerk you! Be the nice you I know you can be!"

"Huh?!"

"I don't know!" he was shaking Keith, "I'm completely winging this here man! I'm not some love guru! I'm just a guy who stumbled into this! I'm just-!"

The two seemed to realize something just then, and their voices died off into a silence.

They were just.. kids. Young teenagers that were tossed into this crazy mess when they already had so many things on their mind.

Lowering Keith back to the ground, Hunk released the collar of his shirt and stepped back, "I want to throw you off this ship, Keith." he admits, "But I've oddly enough come to see you as a friend again during this whole Voltron thing. I guess going through near-death experiences day in and day out can do that to you."

"...Yeah." Keith nods in agreement.

"So, I'm not here to beat you up or tell you to stop talking to Lance."

Keith found that strange, especially since he was just being thrown around a second ago, "But you said to-"

"Back off." Hunk agrees, "And I meant what I said. I want you to chill out and stop pushing Lance into things."

"I'm not pushing him into anything!"

"Yes, you are!" Hunk cuts his voice in half, taking a calming breath "You are taking advantage of him right now." when Keith tried to open his mouth and argue, Hunk held up a hushing hand, "He is distressed right now, Keith. I heard him talking to Shiro- he's conflicted on what he should do."

"He said that?"

"He said he has no idea how he was properly feeling. When someone is like, people tend to take advantage of them by forcing their feelings onto their choices. I think that is what you are doing."

"I would never-"

"Maybe not intentionally, but have you ever stopped to consider that maybe Lance doesn't actually want to get back together with you? That maybe his emotions are just so stirred up from what you use to have that it is clouding his mind? Huh?! Ever think of that? When you are emotional, you do things you never normally would do! Hell, Lance hasn't come to me about any of this! He would come to me about everything back at Garrison- but since Voltron, he doesn't tell me anything that's bothering him…" Hunk turned, "Or maybe I just wasn't paying attention enough- I dunno."

"Hunk…"

"Either way, I don't want Lance to regret anything- so if you are really going to go after him Keith- you better do it properly!"

"Properly?" he asked incredulously.

"Stop pining for him for what you _used_ have. You are both different and in totally different situations now. Instead of trying to just jump into something serious, try starting something new. Talk with Lance- you know? Treat him like you just met him… or something." Hunk's confidence is failing him as he tries to explain what he means.

"I don't know what you want me to do." Keith choked out.

"I don't really get it either." Hunk pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaustion sweeping through him, "I just want all my friends to be happy. That is all I want."

"Sorry we're not the best at that." Keith says, and he honestly means it.

"That is life, I guess." straightening, Hunk rubs the back of his neck, "I think you should talk with Lance. Like- really talk. And not just about the next steps you two take- I want you to talk about what happened a year ago. Give Lance some closure to why you left. Tell him why you did it."

Keith is cringing, "That is rule one though…"

"Rule what? What is with you and these unspoken rules, huh?".

"No uh- it is just a thing that we agreed to so that we wouldn't argue or feel awkward. Lance decided them. He never wanted to talk about what happened at Garrison." Keith explains.

"Oh… That does sound like Lance." Hunk sighs, "But if you two are going to get past this, I think you are going to have to tell him your side of it."

"I- have no excuse. I made a dumb decision, that was all there was to it." Keith says, "I accepted that a year ago. I honestly never thought I would see Lance again and tried to move on from him."

"How did that work out?"

"Not very well."

Nodding a few times, Hunk sighs, "Well- honestly, I think Lance is the same."

Keith shifted, "Really?"

"Yeah. But don't tell him I told you that." He poked a warning finger to the smaller paladin, "In fact, don't tell him we had this conversation. I don't really get what is going through his mind right now, but he doesn't really want me involved for whatever reason. I think he is worried that I might change as a person or something if I do- so keep this hush hush."

"I will," Keith promises.

"Good…" shifting a little, Hunk awkwardly moves towards the door. With no anger left, his body was starting to fail him from the long battle on the Balmera. "I'm going to bed." Pausing at the door, he points over his shoulder to the Red Paladin. "Remember what I said." he warned, "I'll be watching."

Keith nods, "Yeah… I will-" he clears his throat. "Uh… Thank- you, Hunk."

The yellow paladin nods and leaves.

* * *

 **0000-0000**

Three had passed since their mission to the Balmera. Lance hadn't talked to Keith at all and had honestly been avoiding it. For the time being he was trying his best to help Pidge, Hunk and Coran with repairing the castle since Allura was bedridden. It wasn't really working.

"Then you attach this wire and you're done." Pidge says, pushing up her glasses. Lance nods.

"Ohh…" he shakes his head, "Yeah, no, still don't get it. Can you explain it using baby words?"

Pidge grumbles at him, "I don't even understand why I am even bothering to try- you'll forget it in an hour."

"You got me there." Lance nods, "But I like watching you work. It makes me feel like I am friends with a genius."

"You are friends with a genius." She snorts.

"Yeah, but it really makes me realize it, y'know?"

"Right, sure Lance," Nudging him, Pidge continued to work on the console, adjusting things as need be. With the corruption from Sendak's crystal, there were a lot of things in need of repairs/rebooting.

"You think you can fix everything?" Lance scans at her long list of things Coran had given her to look at. Apparently this was only a third of it- Coran was doing the rest.

"Not immediately, but I should be able to get a lot done today." she connects her computer to the server, typing a few things. "You don't have to follow me around, you know."

"There is nothing else to do."

"You could go train?"  
"I could…. But I wanna hang out with you~""

When he didn't move, she grimaces, "Are you really that desperate for attention? You a cat or something? Here kitty kitty~" she scratches under his chin. Lance flinches away.

"I'm not desperate for attention- I'm just hanging out with you."  
"More like following me."

"Am not.  
"Are too~"

"We just haven't been able to hang out- that is all." Lance huffs, "I miss doing that."

Lowering her gear, Pidge nods, "Me too." they nudge each other playfully- like they use to before this whole Voltron thing. It was hard to just act like things were normal- If things could ever be considered normal.

Pidge being a girl never changed anything to Lance- he just missed hanging out with his two bestest buddies. But there was still so much work to do and Lance being neither a computer genius or a master mechanic could only sit by and watch his friends work. It sucked.

He wanted to help, but his average brain wasn't really going to do any good. He would even try training- but training would mean the chance of Keith showing up.

He wasn't willing to try that.

"What was your brother like?" he finds himself asking after a few minutes of sheer boredom.  
"Matt?" Pidge inquires.

"Yeah."  
"A nerd."  
"So, then like you?"

"Nerdier than me." her side glance is a sneer, "But he was sweet. I always looked up to him. And man, he was smart too. Top of his class every year to the point where they bumped him up a grade. Almost two, but he didn't want to stick out too much. You two would have gotten along…"  
"Well- I'm sure we will when I meet him."

Pidge gives a little smile at him optimistic nature, "He'll have a hoot when he sees the Castle. My dad might even cry when he sees the engine power this thing has…" she trails off, eyes downcasting. "They would love it here…"

Frowning, Lance can't stop himself from asking, "Do you miss them?"

She lowers her hands, nodding, "Every day."

"We'll find them," with a comforting pat on the back, Lance gives his friend a wide smile, "And then you can show them how you've become a part of an awesome team!"

"My dad always told me I would be a part of something big-" Pidge grins, "Didn't really realize how big until we found Blue."

"I always wanted to pilot the stars." Lance agrees, "Didn't think I'd ever make it this far though."  
"Do you think anyone back on Earth will believe us?"

"We'll just form Voltron and prove it to them."

She pushes up her glasses, "Sounds good on paper, but we would probably just cause a worldwide panic."

"We'd be the most popular thing since sliced bread!" he declared before gasping, "We'll have Voltron slice a huge thing of bread. It'll blow their minds."

"Where would we get a loaf that big?"  
"Hunk will make it. I'm sure there is a giant sized oven somewhere in the galaxy. Keith can just form the blade and slice slice, done."

"Yeah…" at the mention of the red paladin, she looks away. Lance notices the reaction immediately, dreading what he was seeing.

"You uh-" Lance cleared his throat, "Are still really mad at him, huh?"

"Aren't you?" she counters.

Feeling on the spot, Lance shrugs, "I dunno…" he meant to just avoid the topic, but he felt there was a sliver of honesty there. "I'm not over it- but I'm just kind of numb to it now, I guess."

Pidge sighs, "I guess that would make sense. It is complicated."

"Yeah…"

"He pisses me off a lot, but I'm kind of grateful to him too," Pidge admits.

"You are?" he wasn't expecting that.

"If it wasn't for Keith, we never would have found Blue, and I would have never had a chance to find my family." With a weak smile, she tilts her head back and says, "The guy is still emo and grumpy, and I don't really like the idea of you two ever being alone together- but he isn't all bad."

Lance smiles a little, "Really?"

"Yeah." She narrows her eyes, "But if he ever does anything to hurt you again I'm going to throw him into a cryo pod and send him straight to Zarkon himself."

Lance was shocked, "You wouldn't do that."

"I might. If you mess my friends and you shall feel my wrath." She twirls her Bayard, and Lance isn't quite sure if she is joking right now or not. "But… he seems cool enough for me to let it slide. For now. So if you have something you need to tell him- I will accept the idea of you two hanging out alone."

Feeling as though he had been caught red-handed, though he wasn't sure from what, Lance sputtered, "W-What?"

"I wasn't born yesterday, Lance." She snorts, "I can see the way he looks at you and I want to think I've known you long enough to realize that he's been getting to you."

"He- what? No! He hasn't-"

"Lance." She frowns.

He cuts himself off, body stiff. "…?"

"If you need to talk with him and figure things out- I am okay with that." She repeats, "If something happens from it- well, we'll see. Just know, you got your back covered." Holding out her hand, she grinned, "Kay?"

"Pidge…" feeling emotional, Lance grabbed her hand, giving it a squeeze, "Thanks."

"Don't mention it."

* * *

 **000-000**

"Hey, Allura." Lance smiled at he entered the room. Sitting up a little in her bed, she gave him a weak and exhausted smile.

"Lance," she says his name like she always done, really emphasizing the A. Lance often found it quite adorable, feeling all warm inside when she called to him.

Chuckling, he tip toed in, "Coran made you some weird soup. Smells weird, but he says it is your favorite."

"Ooh! How wonderful," she claps a little. It is delicate and slow- as if the action is draining her. Realizing it probably was, Lance rushes to the bed. Doing what she did to save the Balmera had pushed her past her limits- leaving her almost at the brink of death. Lance couldn't even imagine how tired she must be.

"Here-" he sits on the edge of the bed, gently placing the bowl on her lap. Smiling at him, she took delicate sips.

"I apologize for now being the best company," she says between sips. "I haven't fully felt like myself lately."

"It is okay." He assures her, "None of us expect you to be on your feet immediately,"

She frowns, "Yes but- I wish to be fully recovered soon. I want to continue our fight against Zarkon." Even just saying his name seemed to brighten the determined spark in her eyes.

"You will- but you need to rest first. You can't do much if you make your condition worse."  
" I suppose you are right…" sniffing a bit, she glances at him. "Well, since you are here, how about you tell me about yourself, Lance. We never really have a chance to talk." She tilts her head curiously.

Chuckling, Lance rubs his chin, "Well- I come from a big family. Few brothers, one older sister. Lots of cousins. My mama is the sweetest thing alive-"

"You call your mother, mama? That is precious." Allura comments. Lance flinches a little, often teased for the way he called his mother. While he usually catches himself and changes it to Mom, old habits are hard to break.

"Yes well- she is great. My Dad is great too- a real comedic guy." He pauses, "I wonder how they are doing right now…?"

"You miss them."

"Of course."

Allura nods knowingly, "I grew up most of my life without my mother. I still can't seem to fully accept that my father is gone- though I am comforted by his holographic form."

Lance had yet to ever see King Alfor's holographic form below the bridge, but Allura was always in the best mood after speaking with him, "He sounds like a great guy."

"He is. I'm sure he would have liked you- I should introduce you to him. He has yet to really meet any of the new Paladins."

"We'd love to." Lance grins.

"I am glad to hear that. My Father must be lonely being only able to see me from time to time. He would get along very well with Shiro, I am sure. They share similar mindsets. Oh, but he is a very lovable man like Hunk. It is actually quite funny- Coran often tells me how you remind him of himself when he was younger."  
Lance wasn't sure that was a good thing or not, "Really?" he frowns.

"Yes. So seeing you and Hunk get along so well reminds me of them." Allura yawned a little, her voice growing a little drowsy, "Coran has been with me since I was a child. My Father and him were long term friends since they were young- he is like my-" she yawned, "Uncle. He is really the only family I have now. Well, not counting you Paladins."

Lance straightened a little, "You think of us as family?"

"Of course-" she smiled drowsily, and Lance was tempted to end the conversation and let her sleep, but she continued to speak, "I am very grateful to have you all in my life. You are like stars- I would be lost without each and every one of you."

"Allura." Lance says, startled.

"It is true-" she reaches forward, placing a fragile and weak hand on his shoulder, "Your jokes and humor makes these days worth it- I do not believe I could carry on without the smiles you paladins bring. Though, I know I often tell you to be serious, I look forward to each laugh and silly banter you bring."

Reaching his hand up, Lance took Allura's palm into his own, "Thank you, Allura." Helping her lean back he says, "I think you should get some rest now."

"I do not wish to rest- I wish to talk with you." She insists, almost sounding like a child. "I want to know all I can about you and the others."

"You can." He smiles, "You can ask us whatever you want when you are better."

"Oh- but I do not wish to impose." She turns her head a little, almost falling asleep at the action, "My questions are personal- too personal."

"I am sure they aren't that bad."

"I want to know about Keith and you." She looks him dead in the eye. He instantly regrets his last sentence. It was very bad, "I get the feeling this is unwanted though…"

"I-" Lance clears his throat. He shouldn't have been surprised that Allura would catch on, "Kind of? I mean- it isn't that I don't trust you so-"

"Then can you tell me of him?" Allura's hand tightens around his, holding him there. "I want to know why you two separated. I want to know why you cannot love like you use to… I want to help you come together again. I want you both to be happy," her voice is so quiet that Lance has to strain his ears to hear it, "I want to help all of you paladins be happy." he knew it was the exhaustion getting to her- but he knew she wasn't lying.

At her earnest request, Lance couldn't help but falter. He knew she meant every word and truly just wanted to help. It was probably only her exhaustion that was convincing her brain to say these things so openly- especially since she has never inquired about Keith and his relationship before.

"…A year ago, a few things happen," He begins to explain to her, the words coming from his mouth so smoothly. It startles him how easy it is to tell Allura how he feels. Perhaps he felt this way because he did not fear any backlash towards him or Keith would come from her? So he told her everything.

He explained how when Shiro was thought to be dead, Keith lost it. He pushed Lance away, refusing to believe the notion that Lance loved him, and dropped out of Garrison. Lance didn't see him until the Blue Lion was found a year later and Shiro returned.

She listened- never uttering a word until he finished. She just stared, eyes understanding and kind. When he was done, she took a small breath, "I am sorry, Lance."

He nods a few times, "Yeah."

"It must have been so hard-" she reaches forward, brushing a bang out of his face. It was warm- reminding him of the way his older sister would when he was a child. "And how do you feel now? Keith is always around you…"

"It is hard." He admits, "I don't know how to feel. I'm… conflicted."

"I understand." She turns her head away a little, "When I awoke from my pod and realized 10,000 years had passed, I was so angry with my Father…"

Lance wasn't expecting this turn, "You were?"

She nods, "I wanted to stand and fight Zarkon- not just let the universe fall into his hands. My Father though, he took the situation and decided things by himself without even a word of council to me. He put me in a cryo pod and sent off the lions… for 10,000 years people suffered. When I awoke to that fact, I was so… hurt." Her voice cracks and she closes her eyes for a few seconds.

The Blue paladin couldn't believe he was even hearing this. When they first found Allura she had been devastated towards the destruction of her people- but never once had he assumed that she was bitter towards her father for what happened. "I… never knew."

"Yes, well- so many things were happening at the time for me to dawdle on it. How could I even begin to feel about it? I felt betrayed. I knew he meant well, but in the end it simply felt as though he abandoned me. Coran and I were left completely alone…"

"Allura." He reaches out, grasping her hand with both of his now, holding tight. She smiles at him.

"The strangest part of all of it, was that as angry and hurt as I was, when Coran told me there was a way to communicate with him- to see my Father again… I felt nothing but relief. I am so grateful that he is still in my life that I don't know whether to be furious or thrilled that I can talk to him. It is-" she loses her train of thought, "Every time I see him I am just so confused. I want to scream and cry and just- I am not even sure. I wish to just keep him out of my life so I do not have to feel these things- but I'm terrified of losing him again. Oh, Lance. I am just-"

"Losing my mind." He finishes the sentence for her.

They sit in silence, gazes tight to the other, a silent understand shared between them. Lifting a hand to dab a tear at the corner of her eyes, Allura takes a shaky breath, "I never thought we would share so much in common, Lance." She pats his hand. "Thank you for bringing me soup."

He nods a few times, "Any time, Allura." Standing up, taking the empty bowl, he tucks her in. "You should get some rest now.

"I shall-" she tugs on his sleeve, "Will you come visit me again soon? I would love to hear more stories of your life."

Lance grins, "Course!"

Leaving the room, he dimmed the lights as he left. He felt a little lighter as he returned to the kitchen.

* * *

 **Alright guys! To help grow the relationships a little more since we only have a few more episodes in this season, I'm going to add a few extra chapters between the time Allura is recovering to when she gets captured. Of course we'll still have a chapter where the castle gets taken over but we'll have more than just that too :D**


	15. Kiss of death

"Ugh- I don't like this." Lance cringed, feeling himself shiver as the entire team stood before the cryo pod that held Sendak.

"None of us do." Shiro agreed, "But we don't have any other options right now."

"Yeah, I know…" Lance scratched the back of his neck, not feeling comfortable with being around this guy- asleep or not. Especially after everything they went through because of him.

But, they had decided that with no other plan or strategy to take down Zarkon, they would need some information. With no allies to get the information from they would have to look to one of Zarkon's top commanders- Sendak.

From what Lance was told, they would apparently take Sendak's memories and look at the information through those. It was weird.

"Alright, guys. Sendak's is almost hooked up. But I have to warn you, this technology was used to keep Altean memories alive- not to interrogate prisoners." Coran said, nervous

"Coran, we understand this isn't what the technology was used for. But if we can extract Sendak's memories we can gain valuable information about Zarkon's troop locations."

"Yeah, and then we can be- knock knock!" Lance gave a knock to Hunk's head

"Who's there?" he inquired.

"The avenging fury of Voltron!"

"Oh noes~"

"Guys-" Pidge frowns at them, "Come on."

"Sorry." they say, "Back to the serious, and less of the funny. Gotcha."

"Thank you. So how does this work, exactly?" Pidge inquired.

"As the memories are extracted they are written bit by bit on individual molecules on micro storage strands," Coran explained.

"Think about that- your entire brain stored into a giant ship." Lance whistled. Glancing to his right, he looked at just the right moment to see Keith staring at him. Realizing he was caught, Keith looked away frantically, trying to look casual.

When he found the courage to look back at the Blue paladin, he was surprised to see Lance wave at him. Barely able to lift his fingers, Keith nodded meekly back.

"So this is how you downloaded King Alford's memories in the Castle of lions?" Pidge was circling the device, eyes wide and excited.

"Precisely, though the process has never been attempted on an unwilling participant," Coran says. Pressing a button, he stepped back to let the machine get to work. There was a slight release of air, and the tube began to glow.

….

They stood there for a few seconds before looking at Coran, "Is that what is suppose to happen?" Hunk inquires. Coran shrugged.

"Let's give it some time," Shiro suggested. They stood there for a long time, no one saying a word. A few of them sat down from time to time, but overall nothing really happened. Lance was impressed the Shiro never moved- not even an inch! He just stared at Sendak with an unwavering gaze. Lance even tried to catch his attention to see if he could- but he failed. Shiro was determined.

"Well-" Keith stretched his arms upward, "I can't wait around anymore. I'm gonna hit the training deck." he started to walk down the hall. Lance watched him go, stuffing his hands in his pocket.

He stood there for at least 15 more minutes before biting his lip.

Feeling this odd urge to follow and talk with Keith, he bites his lips, "I'm uh- gonna go too. Gonna go and- do… Lance things. Important Lance things, like-"

"Brushing your teeth?" Pidge guesses.

"Putting on that weird but very affective face cream?" Hunk inquires.

"Yes. To both. See ya!" he ran down the hall before anyone could stop him.

Taking the steps two at a time, he walked in a brisk pace to the training room. Hesitant to actually enter the room itself, he instead went up to the control room where Coran often stood.

Not use to being on this side of the glass, Lance peeked downward. Keith was below- Bayard already out and deep into his training. The guy got to work pretty fast to already have worked up a sweat.

Watching Keith moving to training stage 2, Lance leaned against his hands. Reaching forward, he clicked on the intercom, "Is training really your only hobby?" Keith tenses and slips, hitting the ground hard. Lance winces at the sight, "OooH! Wipe out! You okay?"

Keith held up a shaky thumbs up, rolling onto his stomach, "What are- you doing here?" he looked up to Lance, rubbing his sore side.

"Just thought I'd come say hi… I can leave if you want." Lance avoids his gaze.

"No, it is fine." Keith insists, "Just uh- I wanted to actually talk to you,"

Lance feels nervous, despite coming here for just that, and says meekly, "If it is about what happened a few days ago on the Balmera… I uh- I think we were both just got really caught up in the heat of the moment." He didn't know why he was talking like they made out or something- they really just kind of held hands and massaged the other's shoulders- kind of. It wasn't like they did anything other than get up in each other spaces- so why was he so flustered?

"Yeah…" Keith dabs at the sweat on his brow, brushing it off, "I'm sorry for- for that."

"Huh?" Lance wasn't expecting the conversation to turn that direction.

"For getting into your space like that…" there is a long pause, and he frowns as if he remembered something, "I kind of broke rule two."

Lance. who had forgotten his own rules, was shocked, "Oh! Uh…" he laughed nervously, "Yeah, those." He looks away with a horrible realization. If he thought about it- rule two had been broken a lot.

Could he consider rule 1 broken too? While he didn't actually talk with Keith about Garrison, he often thought about it- which sucks.

"It's… I'll let that one slip for now," he says.

Keith nods gratefully, "…How are you?"

"I'm fine,"

"Have you been sleeping well?"

Lance scratched his arm, still not used to being asked such gentle questions, "More or less. I dreamt of a squirrel with an umbrella a few nights ago."

"Okay?"

"It was weird."

"I bet."

The two fall into an awkward silence, both desperately wanting to speak but not knowing how to start.

"...It is weird to see you with your jacket off." Lance offered

Keith glanced down at himself, "Bad weird?"

"No- just weird."

"Oh…" clearing his throat, Keith twirls his Bayard to keep his hands busy. "You uh- wanna come train with me?"Lance cringed, "Pass."

Lance cringed, "Pass."

"What was with that noise of disgust?" Keith smirks, "Don't tell me you are afraid."

"No- you just get some serious tunnel vision when training and I would just be in the way. So I will decline- thank you."

Keith chuckles- deep and quiet. "Then are you just gonna sit up there and watch?"

"No- I just came here to talk and then I'm leaving."

Keith lowered his Bayard to the ground, using it as something to lean against. "What did you want to talk about?"

Lance wasn't even sure himself and shrugged a little, "I just- wanted to talk. About anything, honestly."

Keith nodded a few times, "Me too." clearing his throat he offered, "We had some pretty good teamwork at the Balmera,"

Lance chuckles a little, "Though we almost died several different times."

"Details," Keith waves it off.

"Details?" Lance snickers, "Oh right, because those things don't matter."

"We won in the end,"

"Barely." Lance leans back a little.

"Hey-" looking back when Keith called, he was surprised to see Keith staring at him with some sort of determined frown, "Sometime later do you- That is to say, are you doing anything later?"

Lance was amazed in his poker face despite his heart kicking into overdrive, "Nothing in particular." he says slowly.

"Would you want to- I want to talk with you. More. Do you want to meet up later- just the two of us?" Keith scratches the back of his neck, attempting to act casual about it, but Lance could see his ears turning pink from here.

He should say no.

This could lead somewhere, so he should say no.

"Sure,"

Mental Lance? Can you please punch physical Lance in the face?

Sure thing panicked Lance, I'll get rational Lance to join in.

Oh, but irrational Lance kind of thinks this is a good idea too- we should beat him up as well!

"We could take a walk around the castle or something," Lance offered.

Emotional Lance- for once in your goddamn life can you take advice from your logical side? Please?

Keith was smiling- no, he was beaming. "That would-!" he lowered his voice when he realized he was yelling, "That would be great,"

Lance feels a bubbling in his stomach, the warmth of it slowly shooting upward and pooling in his heart.

"Lance!" Lance turned when Coran slides into the upper deck, "Perfect timing, I need your help." he paused and leaned towards the intercom, "OH! Hello Keith! Keep up the good training!"

"Why me?" Lance grumbled, kind of annoyed to be interrupted. Which he shouldn't be because- you know, he was talking to Keith. He shouldn't be annoyed that someone stopped him from talking to Keith.

"Because you aren't training and just ogling at Keith." the older man says simply.

Lance steps back, fumbling, "I was not ogling."

"Giggling and chatting." Coran corrects himself. "Now come along, a lot needs to be done! Can't dilly dally!"

"Aww come on." Lance whined. Looking back at Keith, he sighed, "…See you later." He waved.

"Yeah." Keith waves back, "See you later."

Quick to follow Coran out, he trailed behind him, "What are we doing exactly?"

"Well, with Sendak's crystal messing with the systems of the castle, everything is in need of rebooting. I was wondering if you could help with that?"

"Okay, sure…"

"So." Coran said as he opened up a closet and pulled out some odd looking cleaners, "How are things going?"

"Uh… good?" he shrugged.

"Any sudden changes? You've all really come a long way since you first got here. Keith and you seem to be even getting along well lately."

Lance took a cleaner and cleared his throat, "Uh… I guess so." They were cleaning the cryo pods for some reason. Lance wasn't too thrilled, questioning how pods that could heal any injury couldn't manage to clean themselves too.

Coran thought that was a hilarious idea.

Frowning, Lance continued to clean the pod. He was only half paying attention to what Coran was saying, honestly. His mind kept thinking to later- he would meet up with Keith later. They hadn't really decided when or where now that he thought about it. Later could mean in a few hours or- or a few days! Keith probably didn't mean a few days. He probably meant later tonight.

Whenever they saw each other again could work too.

Lance tapped the cleaner with nervous hands. What would they talk about? Just talk to talk?

His heart was hammering about the thought of it. Would you consider this a… date? No. Nonono, couldn't be. Talking and just taking a walk was not a date.

...No, that could definitely be a date.

Oh gosh, was this a date.

Putting a hand to his temple, Lance could feel himself turning red.

This was a date- wasn't it?! Should he wear something nice? No! He should just wear what he always does and just be natural.

Taking a few calming breaths, Lance lowered the cleaner when he began to realize something. He openly agreed to see Keith later. He was embarrassed at the notion that this was a date.

… He was looking forward to the date.

Oh no…

Wishing he could get some advice on this, he turned towards Coran. "Coran?" the pod had been cleaning suddenly closed.

Lance dropped the cleaner in surprise. Feeling shocked shoot up his spine, he banged on the glass in a panic, "What the- Coran! Hey! Coran!" he screamed until the pod activated and his body went cold.

Losing consciousness in a second- he gasped when Coran lifted the pod back up and opened, screaming in shock when he realized Lance was in it, "What were you doing in there?"

Stepping out, legs shaky and body freeze, Lance stammered, "T-This pod just closed and s-shut me in while you were rambling on about boot camp," he hugs himself.

"You sure you didn't just trip and fall in? No judgment- it happens." Coran says. "Besides- why would it automatically start the cryo process?"

"To kill me?" Lance took a guess, scrambling to grab his coat.

"Don't get your boots in a bunch- it was most likely just a malfunction."

Lance huffed, feeling something off about this whole thing. Something wasn't right, "I'm gonna say it- I think this place is haunted."

'Haunted? I know these castle may seem alive Lance, but it is really just a highly advanced magical machine that can't be explained through logic." Coran paused, "That does make it sound a bit haunted, doesn't it? But it isn't! Nothing out of the ordinary. It is probably just a little off from when Sendak's crystal was attached. Once we reboot all the systems everything will go back to normal."

"Right…" watching Coran walk away, Lance shifted when the castle began to make weird noises. Never one for ghosts or scary thing, he jumped to his feet. Screaming when the cryo pod suddenly dropped to the floor below him he shot down the hall.

Determined to find Hunk or one of the others to agree with him that things were weird he stalked through the halls. Still freezing from the cryo pod, he rubbed his arms, hugging himself. Perhaps he was just thinking too deeply on this? The Castle did go through a lot and things were bound to be a little out of order.

Sighing, Lance slowed his pace. He just had to breath. With a few calming breaths, he froze when the lights down the hall turned off.

Eyeing the sight suspiciously, he tensed when more of the lights began to turn off one by one, making their way towards him. They were flickering and he swore he saw someone standing at the end of the hall only to disappear a second later.

"Coran, is that you?" he asked shakily. No one replied, "Okay guys!" he insisted, "Stop messing with me." Distressed noises were pouring from his mouth as he stepped back, ready to scream and run like a little girl again. Then, he heard a voice.

"Help!"

Recognized it, Lance leaned forward, "Hello? C-Coran?" forcing his feet to move, he ran down the hall.

"Help!" Coran continued to call, "I'm stuck in the airlock!"

Gasping, he burst into a sprint, "I'm coming!" sliding to the door, he pressed his hands to the panel and opened it. He knew something was up about this castle- and, Coran isn't here? Confused he stepped in to take a better look at the room. Coran was nowhere in sight.

"What the-" shrieking when the door was closed behind him, Lance pressed his palms to the door. It wouldn't open.

Oh no. Oh nonononononono. Don't panic. Just breath. This is probably just a joke! Yeah, a joke.

Laughing nervously he says, "O-Okay. You guys got me. Very funny-"

 **Airlock opening in 30 ticks.**

He screams. This wasn't a joke!

Pounding on the glass Lance screamed with all his might, "Help! Help! HELPPPP!" From around the corner, a familiar mullet of a man slide into Lance's view, swinging his sword wildly as a gladiator- of all things- lunged at him.

Holy crap was he glad to see that annoying mullet!

"Keith!" Lance screamed as his back slammed against the airlock door.

Keith turned, eyes wide at the sound of his voice, "Lance?" realization struck him fast, "What are you doing in there?!"

"Watch out!" Lance pointed to the gladiator. Ducking just in time to avoid it, he could hear Lance frantically screaming, "I need help!" he yelled over the sound of the countdown sequence, "Because if you don't get me out of here right now, I'm gonna be sucked out into space-"

 **Doors opening.**

"I'm getting sucked out into space!" Shrieking, Lance dove for the side of the room, barely able to grab something to hold onto before the heavy vacuum of space attempted to pull him out, "Keith!" he pleaded, holding on with everything he could. Seconds or minutes passed by, each tiny tick feeling like a pull on his life. He was going to die.

He was going to die.

He was going to die and his family, his friends- Keith… he wasn't ever going to get a chance to tell them goodbye or how he felt about all of them. He-

Seeing the doors slide open, Lance ducked as the gladiator shot over him, spiraling out of the castle and out to space.

"Lance!" clinging to the side, Keith held his hand out. Lance swung his arm out, missing at first, but managing to grasp Keith's fingers after a few attempt.

Pulling him in, Keith slammed the button of the airlock, sealing it shut.

With Lance tucked to his chest, right where he felt he should be, he fell backward. Hitting the wall, they slide to the floor in one large heap, gasping and clinging to the other for as long as time would allow.

"Keith…" Lance sighs shakily, body trembling. Before, when the Galra attacked the castle with a bomb, he wasn't conscious enough to feel the threat of death from the explosion. He never thought too deeply about death because of that. But right now, it was hitting him hard now and the idea terrified him.

"Keith." he tightened his grip, pressing his face into his neck, inhaling the scent of Keith's hair and just- he just loved it.

"I got you… I got you…" Keith chanted, hands running up the square of his back in comforting circles.

Clutching the back of Lance's head, he lifted his chin to get a better look at him, "Are you okay?" the panic is still clear in the red paladin's voice, his chest heaving, "Are you okay, Lance? Lance?-"

In a set of blurry motions, the blue paladin was reaching up, hands cupping Keith's face and yanking him forward. The two were officially fucked when their lips crashed together.

Lance wasn't sure what had brought him to this moment. Perhaps it was the overwhelming feeling of death that had petrified him with the thought that he would have died having never settled things with Keith?

Or maybe he had just wanted to do this since the moment he had seen that mullet a few months back?

So maybe that is why when he was saved by the stupid red paladin right in front of him- alive and holding him… Lance just kind of acted. Of course, his body decided not to inform his brain of his actions- oh no, it was only several seconds later, when Keith had started to kiss back, that Lance began to realize the situation.

And he didn't care.

He just- he wanted this. For so long…

Everything was being poured into this single kiss- the pain, the love, the regret- all of it. He wanted Keith to feel everything.

"-eith… Keith…" Lance pressed into him, tilting his head to deepen the kiss. Keith gasped a little, squeezing Lance's arms like a tether, threatening to fall over.

Lip to lip- nothing else seemed to matter.

They weren't on a spaceship in the middle of the universe. They weren't fighting for their lives from aliens. Garrison and everything that happened there didn't exist. They never got together. They never broke up. They never got hurt.

It was just Lance and Keith.

Blue and Red.

"Keith-" Lance huffed, not even willing to pull away to speak in fear of this ending, "Open your mouth-" Keith was already complying before he could finish.

Tongues and teeth were added into the mix. It was messy and almost awkward at times with their teeth clicking together- but they didn't hesitate. They were here, that was all that mattered.

After some time delicate hands began to creep up to Lance's shoulders, shaking hesitantly before resting themselves there. A few more seconds later, as if savoring it to the end, they gently pushed Lance back, forcing them to break the kiss.

Gasping for air, Keith lowered his head, flushed and gorgeous, "W-Wait…" he stammered, "We can't."

Lance was reaching a hand up to cover his bruised lips, murmuring, "What?" hadn't Keith been the one to try and do this same thing a few days before?

"Jesus Lance, I want to-" Keith looked up, eyes wide and pleading, "I want this- but we can't. Not when you're not- everything is going to hell right now Lance, and I don't want to make it worse by doing something you might regret later."

"Regret…" Lance says softly. Blinking once, then twice, the situation was starting to dawn on his brain once more. Covering his mouth, he lifted himself from Keith's lap and stepped back.

What…

What was he just doing?

"I-I'm sorry-" he said, his face so heated that it almost hurt.

"No, it is okay." Keith leaps to his feet, "I didn't mind- I really, really did not mind that." He assured him. "I just uh- I want to-" he licked his lips, "I wanna make things right by you, Lance."

The slightest hint of an accent slipped from Keith's voice and Lance almost laughed. His was losing his mind and he was about to start laughing. He couldn't help it. Keith was just- holy crowd.

Keith couldn't remember much of his parents, but he once told Lance about his father. A man with a very thick Texan accent. While still totally Korean, from time to time Keith would break out said accent he was positive was from his Father.

Lance had lived for those moments- and it was strange to realize that even after an entire year, he still did.

"Hey-" Keith makes a little face, not even realizing the accent had broken through himself, "Are you laughing at me?"

Lance almost cries, laughter bubbling from his chest, "Yes?" he turns away from him, "I dunno- yeah I am." He giggled.

Keith is huffing and puffing like a mad man, stammering to find some reason to why lance would be laughing of all things, "This is serious, Lance!"

"I know! I just- hahaha! W-Why were you being chased by a Gladiator? It almost killed you! And I almost died too!" his laughing is hysteric, "Holy shit, today is nuts! This castle is trying to kill us and we just make out! Like- what the hell!?" his laughter slowly died when he looked at Keith.

His eyes were wide and his body was tense.

They both thought the same thing: _This castle is trying to kill them._

Kicking their make-out session to the bottom of their priorities, the two burst into a sprint down the hall. The castle was trying to kill them. The castle was trying to kill them. Holy hell, they had to find the others and fast!

* * *

 **Yeahhhhh and the chapter is Done!**

 **The next chapter will be kind of a filler? I say this as in it won't be off the episodes but it will still be relevant to the plot.**


	16. Conversations and little feelings

Lance had said " _I told you so,"_ to Coran at least a dozen times by the end of the day. Finding the others- they rushed to find that Shiro had sent Sendak flying into space and Allura had to fight against her hologram father after his memories had been corrupted. He couldn't even imagine what that must have been like.

All in all- a weird day.

He didn't complain however- knowing how upset Allura was over having to say goodbye to her father to stop him from controlling the ship and saving their lives. She stood tall at the end of it- determined to prove that her father's memory would live on inside all of them so long as they continued to fight.

Lance was amazed by her strength.

The pain she must feel though… it hadn't been that long ago that they discussed how grateful she was that she still had the memories of her father around, and now those were gone too.

In the end, the hoped that giving her hug before she went to bed was enough to convey how proud of her he was. She had hugged back fiercely, allowing herself to hold onto him for several minutes before stepping back.

"Thank you, Lance."

He nods numbly, "Are you going to be alright?"

"I will. In truth, he wasn't really my father- just his memories. My real father died 10,000 years ago. But- it still hurt." she sighs, "However, I know he would want me to carry on and hold my head high."

Smiling, he pats her shoulder, "He would be proud of you."

"I'm glad to hear that," pausing from entering her room, she gave him a long look, "I hope you are alright though. You seemed to have the most near death experiences today out of everyone."

He groaned, "It was rough,"

"I would think so," she chuckled, "I am glad Keith got to you before the airlock could take you from us. Did he embrace you after?"

Lance choked on his spit, "Excuse me?"

"It feel like something he would do," she hums, "Did he?"

"I- you- well, yeah kind of but-"

"Ahh, so he did," she clapped a little, pleased, "That is nice. Did you hug him back?"

"Allura," he steps back, "What the hell?"

"I'm sorry, I couldn't help it. Ever since you confided in me this topic has been on my mind nonstop." she admits, "I simply wanted to know if anything has changed in your relationship."

Lance is turning red, "I- that is private."

The glint was still in her eyes, "So then something did happen?"

How can she go from so stoic to a hyped fangirl in under two seconds?! "I'm not telling you that."

"Oh my gosh, you kissed." she covered her mouth.

He screamed. How had she figured it out from that?!

"I'm not listening!" he turns to cover his burning ears, escaping down the hall. He could out run her due to her body still not being fully recovered from the Balmera, but she called to him, saying she would catch him later and that he couldn't run forever.

"I know where you sleep, Lance!"

Escaping to his room, making sure to lock the door, he huffed into his pillow. Peeling out from his paladin gear, he was relieved to change into his normal clothes. About ready to go to bed after today he was surprised to hear a knock on the door.

Opening it, he slammed it back shut when he realized it was Keith.

Shit.

"...Lance?" Keith knocked on the door again.

"O-One moment!"

Shit shit!

He forgot about the date- outing- meeting… activity. The thing with Keith!

Making a break for his bathroom, Lance slide in to look at himself in the mirror. Why was he making sure he looked alright? Why was he checking his teeth and hair and clothes and- did he smell?

Smelling himself, he nodded. He smelled good.

Grabbing his shoes, he ran back to the door. Putting them on, he reached for the handle then stopped.

A hesitant question was lingering in his mind: Was he really going to go out and try this? After everything that happened- was he actually going to go spend an evening with Keith?

There was no guaranteeing where this could lead to. Closure? Acceptance? A confirmation of his own feelings- whatever those were.

...Forgiveness?

Taking a few deep breaths, he opened the door, stepping out into the hall. Keith, who had been leaning against the wall while waiting for him, pushed himself off of it. "Hey."

"Hey," Lance looks down.

Without another word, the two began to walk down the hall, side by side a slight distance between them. Lance felt he could have pushed his way through this if today had been normal. But it wasn't. They had kissed.

He couldn't get through this.

The thumping of his heart was too distracting.

"So um-" he cleared his throat when it cracked, "How are you?" How could he just ask that after today? Stupid stupid!

"Good- well," Keith shrugs a little, "Almost got killed by a robot today."

"...You don't say?" Lance feels himself say slowly, "That must have been terrifying."

Blinking once, then twice, Keith smirks, "No not really. You wouldn't believe what I saw today, though. A guy almost got sucked out into space through the airlock."

There is a pause before Lance fakes a gasp, "The poor guy. Hope someone got to him in time."

With a playful glint, Keith says, "He was saved by a mighty warrior."

"Can't be that mighty if he has a mullet."

Keith turns away, grinning, "I think someone is just jealous of it."

"Of that thing?" Lance points to it, "Never in a million years. I actually almost feel sorry for it- it might be great if the person it was attached to took care of it."

"I do wash it," Keith says

"What? Like- once a week?"

Keith actually had to think about it to answer, "Yes."

"Ugh- how can you go that long without showering?" he cringes.

"Easy- I just don't."

Lance almost laughs, "Gross." he concludes, "And you questioned why I always put air fresheners in your room-" Lance cut himself off, his stomach dropping when he realized he was thinking back to the Garrison days. Welp, there goes rule one.

Honestly, he had almost forgotten he used to do that. Keith was always training and running around- it was sweaty and gross. The times he was over in Keith's room were horrible- the smell too appalling to recall.

He had gotten Keith three or four room fresheners to make up for the stink.

"...I liked those air fresheners." Keith says, gaze focused forward, "Except for the lemon one."

Lance, despite previous anxious feelings towards the turn of the conversation, had loved the lemon one, and felt personally insulted, "What was wrong with the lemon one?"

"It was lemon." Keith says as if that should answer the question.

"Yeah, I get that. What was wrong with it?" he folded his arms with a huff.

"It was _lemon_." Keith repeats, "I don't like lemons. Don't like actual lemons, lemon juice, lemons smells- I just dislike lemons in general. It is too sour,"

"Since when did you dislike lemons?"

"I've always disliked lemons."

"No you haven't," Lance insists, "The lemon one was the one you used the most!"

"You liked it the most!"

"That means nothing! If you didn't like it you wouldn't have kept the air freshener."

"Why wouldn't I have kept it? You got it for me!"

"That didn't mean you had to keep it if you didn't like it!" Lance snorts

"Yes, I did!" Keith cuts himself off, eyes growing wide. Turning away, he coughs into his hand, muttering, "…I had to keep it if you took the time to get it for me,"

"Oh…"

Lance and Keith both look away from each other than, the conversation was forced to a close. That was a thing and Lance just- he wasn't going to say anything about it. He would just internalize it for a few minutes and then forget it ever happened because it wasn't sweet that Keith did that. Nope. Not at all. It was more of stupid- right?

If he didn't like he shouldn't have kept it. End of story.

So this little fluttering thing his heart was doing can stop. Just stop heart. Stop it.

"Did you ever imagine we would be here?" Lance inquired, hoping to change the topic as fast as possible, "And when I say here, I mean- the spaceship. That we'd be paladins?"

"Did I grow up hoping to save the world like a superhero? Yes, yes I did." Keith nods, "Saving the universe with a giant robot, though- that didn't come to mind."

Coming to one of the bridge ways between the castle corridors, the two paused to look at the stars. Space was so vast and beautiful. The sight was stealing their attention away and before they knew it they were leaning against the railing, standing side by side. It reminded Lance of the first night they kissed.

Which was a dangerous thought…

Biting his lip he says, "Some crazy adventure so far, right?"

"Yeah.

"Can't believe you got chased around by a gladiator." Lance snorts.

"Says the guy who was stuck in a cryo pod just to walk into the airlock." Keith counters.

"I thought Coran was in trouble!"

Keith rolls his eyes. Taking a moment to lean against the bar and gaze at the stars he says, "You really gotta stop almost dying on me. This is the second time."

"It's not like I planned it." Lance mutters, "And what about you? You almost got killed by a robot."

"I could at least fight against it."

"I did the best with what I had." Lance shrugged. Reminded of the instant after everything that had happened, Lance's fingers trailed up to brush against his lower lip, "...You broke rule two."

Keith turned to him in shock, "Wha- But you were the one to-" he said quickly, eyes flickering to Lance's lips then snapping back up to glare at him, "I was just- you were- it was the moment!" he puffed angrily. "And you were the one who kissed me!"

Lance can't help but smirk at him a little, finding it amusing how easily he could put Keith into a panic with this one simple rule. Seeing the smirk and not the anger, Keith lowered his arms.

"Are you- teasing me?" he accused.

"What, me?" Lance stepped away from the bars, whistling innocently, "Never," going with this, he continued to tease by saying, "Regardless if I kissed you first- you kissed back. You broke rule two."

"That isn't fair!" he argues, "If you were the one to initiate the contact then I shouldn't get in trouble for it,"

"Ahh you would think- but no. That isn't how this rule works," Lance shrugs.

"You can't just change the rules like that!"

"I can if I'm the one who makes them. Either way, you were hugging me so that should count too. So you've broken the rule twice today."

"You- No! You were clinging to me!"

"Why would I cling to you?" Lance hums innocently.

"Because you got stuck in the airlock like an idiot!"

"Oh, name calling huh, mullet? Very mature. At least I don't smell all the time."

"No, you just take a shower every 30 minutes like a clean freak and use that weird face cream that makes you look like an alien."

"And you still have that pen I lent to you." Lance said, feeling a burst of courage, "You don't see me judging that, do you?"

Keith's upper lip curled indignantly, his cheeks bursting to a red crimson that matched his jacket, "...That isn't the same thing."

"Is it? You never really explained to me why you still have that." he pointed out.

"..." Keith's shoulders were tensed up to his ears, eyes narrowed, "..."

Lance gave him a warning point, "Don't you dare try and hold your breath again. I will get Shiro."

Keith exhaled- looking anywhere but at Lance. "...It was important,"

"The pen?"

"Yes,"

Mouth dry, he drawls out, "The pen?"

"Yes, the pen- as weird as it sounds. I couldn't part with it,"

Lance wrung his hands together a little, "I see… Well um- that is fine," he turned when he felt heat crawling up his neck. "I mean, it is weird, but you can keep it,"

"I can? You don't mind?"

"No," Lance wouldn't tell him this, but he found the notion kind of… touching "Just know I find it kind of odd,"

"That makes it sound like I should get rid of it," The red paladin frowns, "...Cause I won't,"

When the blue paladin chuckled, they began to walk again- shuffling around until they had managed to take an entire loop back towards their room. They said goodbye, keeping a good distance apart, then went to their rooms.

This was their routine.

They would wake up then do whatever it is they would normally do during the day: train, eat, hang out with the others- it was always different.

The one thing that stayed the same however was when night hours began to draw in, they would meet up. Never in the same spot, and sometimes only after they went looking for the other for an hour… but when they did, they would walk and talk.

It was simple with little to no pressure in how to act. It was friendly… sweet, almost.

They talked about whatever came to mind about them. Lance had thought he had known everything there was to know about Keith- but he was wrong. You can never stop learning about someone. There was always something new to learn or say.

Because time was never ending- nothing stayed the same and new experiences always happened and sometimes old ones you've forgotten resurface.

It was nice.

"When I was eight I spent the summer in some mountains. It is funny, I can't really remember which mountains they were- but there was snow everywhere. I hadn't ever seen so much in my life. It came over my head!" Keith smiles at the memory, "It was tough trying to walk through it."

"Did you get stuck?" Lance inquired.

"A couple of times- I learned to dig holes in the snow like tunnels. A few of the people in the town called me Mole," realizing he was serious, Lance laughed.

"Hi, Mole."

"Hi, Lance."

Lance had discovered that Keith was often placed to many different families growing up- never staying for more than a few months. He explained how sometimes it was the parent's fault he left and sometimes it was him. Either way, no matter where he went, nothing clicked- so he gave up on it.

He focused on his future and joined Garrison at a young age.

Keith never really talked about the different places he was raised as a child back at Garrison. It just never came up.

"I didn't really mind. I mean, I don't remember much of my dad but I know he was great. Nothing could replace him…" Keith smiled as if he remembered something, "I remember one time he had this horse- or it might have been a cow- I can't really remember. It was an animal, basically. He had it and was taking it around using a rope. Some info to know- it wasn't his. He just found it in our yard one morning and decided to keep it. I would ride on the back of it and we would just walk around town with it. No one came to claim it either so it just became part of the family,"

"Did you name it?"

"I think, but I can't remember. One day it was gone- I think someone took it."

"Shame," Lance says, "Did you cry?" he teased.

"I was five…" Keith insists.

"Oh, so you did," he cackled, "Poor baby Keith."

"So you've never cried over losing a pet?" Keith grumbled.

"I had this cute little fish when I was little- I thought it was a super fish because it lived for ten years… Turns out my parents would just go to the pet store and by a similar looking one whenever it died. They stopped when I was finally there to see it die- we had a funeral in the bathroom. I had my entire family wear black and everything. My sister even brought flowers."

"See- you tell me this, but then you laugh at the fact that I lost my pet when I was 5. Yours was just a fish!"

"That fish, to me, was a part of the family for ten years! You can't even tell me whether or not this _oh so precious_ pet was a cow or a horse- I have every right to laugh,"

"I was five! All I can really remember about its characteristics was that it was big and was part black part white. I've seen some black and white horses so I can't tell!"

Feeling open and warm, Lance laughed. Keith was snickering with him.

Why had this ended? What did they do wrong? Couldn't life just be simple like this?

When the two walked back to their rooms, Keith opened his mouth to say something. Looking at him expectantly, Lance's gaze seem to drive away any courage Keith mustered and he fumbled, "I uh- so um- goodnight?" he asked.

"Yeah." Lance nodded.

Keith suddenly held out his hand. Blinking once, then twice, Lance took it and shook it. And they just stood there, shaking hands like a bunch of weirdoes.

Both internally screaming at their actions they laughed awkwardly, "We're shaking hands," Lance cringed.

"Yeahhhhh,"

"….Nice to meet you?" Lance offered.

"We already know each other,"

Lance pitifully whined, "Oh yeah,"

They stopped shaking hands and stood there… holding hands.

Unable to pull his gaze away from their touching fingers, Lance sucked in a breath when Keith spoke up, "I um- had fun tonight- talking and stuff,"

Faster than he intended he croaked, "Me too,"

"See you tomorrow? At breakfast maybe?"

They saw each other every morning at breakfast so of course, they would see each other. "I'll be there early," Lance announces. ….huh? Since when did he go to breakfast early? He never did! What in the world brain- I thought we discussed this!

"Me too," they step back and pull their hands back to their sides, "Goodnight," Keith whispers.

"G'night," stepping into his room, Lance closed his door. Sighing, he pressed his back to it and slide to the floor. Jeez…

He's gotta go to bed right now if he was going to be able to wake up early tomorrow.

Rushing to do his normal 'before bed' routine, he slide under his covers without a sound and closed his eyes.

The next morning, after a small struggle of falling asleep, he leaped to his feet and got ready. Looking himself over in the mirror, seeing nothing wrong with his appearance, he ran- no, he quickly walked, to the eating area.

Keith was already there with a plate.

"Morning," he says.

With a bubbly feeling in his stomach, Lance nods to him and steps to the kitchen to grab himself a plate before returning to join Keith. He seems a little different today- there is a shine to his hair that he can't help but focus on.

Puzzled, he sat down next to Keith without a word, staring at him. Noting the stare, Keith frowned, "What?"

"Nothing-" Lance inhaled, the smell of shampoo and conditioner undeniable, "Did you take a shower?" he asked with unbelieving eyes.

"I told you I do it every so often," Keith quickly stuffs his mouth, "It isn't that surprising,"

"I see-" Lance turned to chuckle a little into his hand, "So um… you smell like lemons,"

Keith's ears are pink, scowling to hide any sign of embarrassment, "It was the only soap kind we had,"

"Really? Cause I have a lavender scented one,"

"Well, I didn't."

Lance leaned a little towards him and inhales, "It smells nice- we should switch soaps,"

"Okay," Keith says softly. Sitting in silence until the others got there, they were given a few curious looks.

"Lance? Up before me? That is surprising," Pidge says.

"It was a strange morning," Lance shrugs.

"Apparently- Keith you don't stink," she gasps.

"No way," Hunk peeked around her, "You're right!"

"Good job, Keith," Shiro pats his head like a proud space dad, "And I didn't have to tell you to,"

Keith swats his hand around, "Why are you all making such a big deal about this?"

"Because it's you," Lance snickers. Keith jabs his foot at him under the table. Lance hits his ankle back, glaring at him.

Kicking the other vigorously for a few seconds, Lance left when Keith snapped at him to stop kicking him. Feeling like he won the battle of kicking, he yelled down the hall, "Victory is mine, Mullet!"

"It is not!" Keith called after him. With that he went to the training room. He should try to get in a bit of solo practice before the others get there, but when he arrived, someone was already inside. Curious to who it was, he went up to the balcony.

He recognized the Altean princess instantly.

"Oh, Allura?" Lance approached the glass to peek below- watching Allura move the spear side to side. Similar to the gladiator and how it fought, she charged at it. Caught in a trance at her fighting style, he stood there who knows how long.

He was cheering for her quietly above, so unused to seeing her in combat. She was good! He probably shouldn't be surprised given that she would need to know how to protect herself and was part of a war.

Yeah she was- He screamed when Allura reached out, grabbing the head of the gladiator and twisting it clean off.

"OH MY GOD!" he screamed into the intercom.

Surprised to hear him, she jumped, dropping the metal head, "Lance?" she asks, "Oh, hello! I did not see you there."

Lance was pressing the intercom button so hard that he thought it would break, "What the hell was that?!" he demanded. Was this woman an amazon or something?!

"Training," she answered simply.

He was spluttering, "You just- the head- pop! Clean off! You just ripped it off!" he says in a panic.

Blinking a few times, she drops it, "…Yes, that did happen," she nods, "Hi, Lance."

Opening and closing his mouth, dumbfounded, he gave a little wave back. Smiling, she ended the simulator and joined him. "How are you?"

"I'm good- I see you are feeling better," Lance notes.

Allura nods, "It took some time, but yes. I feel fully energized again- now we can continue our fight against Zarkon,"

Lance wasn't even sure where they would even start with that and nodded, "Coolio."

"Yes… Coolio," she repeated, not sure what it meant but grinning either way. There was a glint in her eye. With the most unsettle act of being casual he has ever seen, Allura leaned against the wall, "So… Keith?" she looked at her nails and Lance can hear her mentally squealing.

"Stop." He pointed to her.

She is grasping both of his wrists to stop him from walking away, "Oh, dearest Paladin~"

"No."

"I have yet to ask anything,"

"Well whatever you are about to ask the answer is _no, not telling you, my personal business, not yours, and nope nope nope,"_

"But Lance," he can't believe she is whining at him, "Nothing like this happens within the Castle- I am very curious! Did you both at least enjoy your date?"

"How- it wasn't a date!' Lance yells, "Just a frie-paladin- Just a paladin meeting up with another paladin. Just walking around and talking,"

"Right, sure- of course, that isn't a date, cause people don't normally walk and talk on dates."

"You know what I mean, Allura."

"Do I?" she teased.

"I will throw goo at you the next time we have dinner," he threatened.

"I shall simply dodge,"

"You won't be able to. I'll be too quick-" he made some ninja moves.

"I'll be quicker," she giggled.

Huffing at her, he stepped back, "I'm not talking about this with you,"

"And why not?"

"Because you- you're you! You'll give me little looks and tease me about it,"

"I won't! I'm just curious," she insisted, "If anything I want you to be able to confide in me, Lance. I care about you,"

Lance felt caught off guard, not expecting the honest reply, "I-" he clears his throat, "I want to talk to you about this stuff- I just don't know how Allura,"

"That is okay," she insists, "We can talk about anything you want and slowly get to the big stuff. There is never a rush,"

Lance tears up at her words, feeling that they hit him harder than he originally thought they would, "Thanks… Um… Keith is-" he sighs, "I guess it was a date," he concludes. There was a sense of relief in admitting it out loud- knowing all these things were feelings he had been suppressing since day one.

"It is okay if it was a date, you know," Allura smiles. Lance shakes his head, stepping back.

"No, it isn't. I've already been through this. I can't- I don't want to go through it again," he sniffs.

"Which part exactly?" she inquires.

"Huh?"

"You don't want to go through it again," she repeats, "Do you mean that you don't want to date him again- or you just don't want to get hurt again,"

Voice caught in his throat, she shrugged weakly, "I… I don't know," he croaked, "I don't know what Keith is thinking- I don't know what he'll do."

Allura placed a comforting hand on Lance's shoulder, "It is okay," she assures him, "My Father used to tell me that just because someone stumbles, doesn't mean they've fallen forever. We all make mistakes- wrong choices, but we learn from them. Keith and you are no different. Perhaps this was meant to happen?"

"What do you mean?"

"Perhaps you both had to be apart to realize how much you wanted to hold onto the other?" she offered, "That is just a thought though."

Nodding numbly, Lance brushed a small tear from the corner of his eye, "What should I do then?"

"That is up to you. I think the question you should ask yourself before deciding is if you are willing to let Keith go again. I can see he is trying, and I feel like you are trying too. Sometimes that is all you need to do to figure things out. Take your time, and talk to him. Let things flow and wherever you end up, then take that path,"

"And what if things end up the same again? What if Keith pushes me away again later on if we- you know, go somewhere with this?"

"Do you think he will?"

"I didn't think he would the first time,"

Allura taps her chin, "I guess it depends then- do you think Keith has changed?"  
Lance wasn't sure how to answer at first and contemplated the answer. Thinking it over for a few seconds he nods, "He's different,"

"Then things won't end up like last time."

"You sound so confident in that," he snorts.

"I trust my paladins," she smiles. "I truly believe that if you give him a chance, Lance, he will never let you go. He will love you for the rest of his life,"

Lance gulped a little, "That's- how are you so sure about that?"

She patted his head, "I can see it in the way he looks at you. So- have more confidence in this Lance. Have more confidence in yourself and in your team. Trust your heart to lead you down the right path,"

Feeling a little choked up, he says, "That is really cheesy,"

"I do not see why cheese has anything to do with this,"

"Figure of speech,"

"...I don't get it,"

He sighs, "Forget it." adjusting his jacket, he smiles, "But um- thanks for the talk,"

"Do you feel better?"

"Yeah, I do," he says honestly, "I'm still confused and I have no idea what I'm going to do but I feel like I can handle it a little better- if that makes sense,"

"It does," she squeezes his shoulder, "If anything happens, you can come to me, alright?"  
"Okay,"

"Do you need a hug?" she holds out her arms.

"No," he frowns.

She is approaching him.

"I said no," he stepped back. She ran for him. "Get away!" he turns and runs, "I've seen your crazy Godzilla strength! No thank you!"


	17. You came back

"Somewhere in Sendak's memories we should be able to find the inside information that gives us the key to take down Zarkon," Allura says. They stood in the control room, crowding around Pidge as she delved through the small traces of Sendak's memories they were able to get before Shiro shot him off to space.

Coran looks at her, looking a little uncomfortable, "I don't think your father would approve searching through an enemies memories," he tells her.

Nodding a few times, she sighs, "I know, but we have to do everything we can to defeat Zarkon,"

Lance agreed to that, "Once we know all his weaknesses we can drive up to his front door and challenge him to a fight," he punches his fist into his palm, "Winner gets the universe," he imagines standing above Zarkon's fallen form, a flag of victory flapping behind him. The team was standing to the back, sending him thumbs up. Allura was cheering for him and Keith was giving him flowers with that little proud smile he gave people sometimes.

Then he would pull Lance into his arms, hold him close and kis- LANCE WOULD NOT CONTINUE THIS THOUGHT! His brain would shut up and stop imagining weird things.

In a panic, he yelled, "Keith isn't invited to the fight!"

Keith gawked at him, "What?"  
"You gotta go- do other stuff,"

"How exactly would you fight Zarkon without me? Voltron would be missing an arm," Keith scowled.

"We could totally figure something out. You would just need to stay away- and not celebrate victory with us," What was he even saying right now?! "I'm holding my own victory celebration- you aren't invited to that either! You stay away from that. Don't wear anything nice to it either- just don't wear anything nice in general!" Lance waved him off frantically; hoping the blush on his face wasn't too obvious.

Keith, noticing it instantly however, was starting to think Lance was coming down with something and was delusional or something. So with a quiet voice he asked, "Do you need to sit down?"  
Lance lifts his fingers, opens his mouth, then slowly sits down, "Yes…"

"You need some water or something?" Keith's hand moved to press the back of his palm to Lance's forehead.

Feeling butterflies shooting wildly around his stomach, Lance has to will himself not to shiver at the cool touch, "…I'm fine. Just tired."

"I can get you some," Hunk offered.

"I'm okay," he waves them all off, kind of liking how they cared for him.  
Shiro blinked, concerned, "Okay? Do you need to go and sleep, Lance? It is okay," he says in the worried Space dad voice.

"I'm okay," Lance clears his throat, "Just carry on."  
'Alright… Anything good yet, Pidge?" Shiro inquired.

"We were only able to salvage bits and pieces," Pidge explains- which meant _no._

"We need something to work with," Keith sighed, "Right now we don't even have a decent map of the empire,"

Lance took a few deep inhales, then snorted "Who needs a map? After 10,000 years of conquering, I could probably my Bayard at any part of space and hit a Galra ship." He should actually try that later. It might just work.

"Probably," Keith says with a smile and Lance almost fell apart. He was falling apart.

Maybe he's already fallen apart and is just a mess of stuff on the ground? That sounded like it was a thing.

"If we could just find some troop locations or supply routes- small targets we could hit and run. Then we could start to free planets one by one," Shiro says.

Lance did not like the sound of that, mainly because, it sounded like it would take forever. Not that he wasn't a fan of the big robot or blue or this road trip around space- but he missed home. He didn't want to be doing this for the rest of his life. The faster they took down Zarkon, the better. Not wanting to sound too homesick, however, Lance decided to play it a little silly, "Boring~ I want the big Kaboom!"

Shiro frowned a little, "Zarkon has been building his empire for 10,000 years. We're not going to be able to tear it down overnight with five inexperienced pilots and one support ship." he tells everyone, "Hitting him where he lives would be a huge mistake,"

"Okay, I've cross-referenced Sendak's memories with the ship we took out back on Arus. Most of it was a garbled mess, but one thing kept repeating. Something called a _universal station,"_

"Universal station? Like the kind of station that controls the whole universe?" Hunk leaned in towards the screen. Pidge pulled him back to see her work.

"Well we are translating it from Galra so it could also be Galactic hub,"

Lance gasped and snapped his fingers excitedly, "Or space base!"

"Space base?" his friends smirk at him.

"It totally works," he insists.

"Well I'm pulling up this universal galactic base now," Coran typed the coordinates in and stepped back when the screen appeared. They saw nothing but empty planets.

"So where is it?" Lance questioned

"I don't know," Coran says, "Our long distance scanner isn't picking up anything at these coordinates,"

"Maybe he remembered it wrong," Keith suggests.

"Or, we just stumbled upon a top secret bath in Sendak's memories," Pidge smirked.

"Only one way to find out," Allura placed her hands on the controls, "Let's go take a look."

"How long will it take to get there?' Lance inquired.

"An hour and a half at most," Coran says. "You all might as well get ready or do whatever you need to before then."

"I need a nap," Hunk admits with a yawn.

"I'm gonna keep looking at Sendak's memories for info so you guys do whatever you want," Pidge waved them off.

"I'm hungry," Lance and Keith turned when the spoke in unison, surprising the other.

"Alright, we meet back in an hour," Shiro concluded, moving to walk down the hall and get into his Paladin gear. Everyone slowly went his or her separate ways after that and Lance found himself walking to the kitchen with Keith.

Whistling awkward to myself, he breaks the tension by inquiring, "So… what are you having? Goo, goo, or goo?"

Keith smirks a little, quick to join in the joke, "The Goo for sure. It is way better than the goo or goo,"

Lance tilts his head, saying, "Ooh, but the goo can be good if you drink purple water with it,"

"But the goo is so much better than goo,"  
"No goo like it. It is so good I'll probably have it tomorrow too, along with some goo," turning into the kitchen, Lance grabbed a plate and poured a single squirt of alien goo onto it, "Your goo, sir,"

"I believe I asked for this goo medium well," Keith says through a cracking grin

"Oh, pardon me~" Lance fakes a gasp, "Let me fix that," he pressed the button and goo slams into the plate. From the impact and force, a few chunks shot up towards Keith's face. Lance hadn't meant to do that but laughed regardless. "Whoops,"

"Give me the tube," Keith extends his hands out, a glint of revenge in his eyes.

Lance hides it behind his back, "I do not know which tube you speak of, sir,"

"Oh-ho, you better give me that tube, Lance," Keith is stalking towards him. Lance crouches a little to mimic him, shifting his weight left and right to prepare for whichever direction Keith was going to come at him.

"I shall bring the thunder, sir,"  
"Stop calling me sir,"  
"I'm not calling you sir, sir,"

Keith makes a grab for the tube.

They wrestle for it, tugging and pulling to get control of it, "I will go down with this goo, sir!" Lance clicked the button, willing to sacrifice himself. Goo shot directly into their faces. Struggling to focus on grabbing the tube or fighting against the goo Keith rammed into Lance's side to knock him off balance.

It worked and the blue paladin stumbled. His hand managed to snag the back of Keith's mullet in the process and he dragged them both to the floor.

"Feel the wrath of the goo, sir!" Lance was quick to roll over and stuff it into Keith's face. He grunted and slapped at Lance's hands. Rolling amongst the goo for a decent 20 minutes, Lance and Keith rolled onto their backs to catch their breath.

"I totally won, sir,"

"Stop with the sir already," Keith snorted. A fit of giggles was making it through his chest when he looked at him. The smile that lit Keith's face was beautiful.

"We-" Lance cleared his throat and sat up, "Really made a mess," he glanced at Keith, "Leave it for Coran?"

"Everyone else does,"

Quick to scrap off all the goo they could they escaped down the hall, feeling like they had gotten away with some wonderful crime. "You know, I just realized, we didn't even eat anything." Lance pats his stomach, "I'm still hungry,"

Keith eyes widen in realization, "Me too,"

They laugh and laugh, their shoulders bumping into each other and Lance just didn't mind the butterflies in his stomach. He actually liked that he felt comfortable around Keith again and could talk to him. He liked that Keith smiled at him and did dumb stuff with him.

He liked the way Keith would look at him when he thought Lance wasn't paying attention. Or how he had taken a shower at least once every two days, each time using the lemon scented soap.

Lance could still smell it from here.

"So much for using our time wisely,"  
"You were the one who started it," Keith lifts his hand. Before either of them can fully comprehend what he was doing, he is reaching for Lance, plucking Goo out of his bangs.

Feeling a heat creep up his neck, Lance held his breath. Making sure to hold perfectly still, he found his gaze locked with Keith's.

Those purple irises' were wavering, subtly saying that he hadn't meant to find himself in this situation, but if he pulled back now then things would just get super awkward… though they were already awkward.

Finishing his task, Keith lowered his hand and cleared his throat, "You had some goo,"

"Yeah… Thanks… Sir,"

Keith nudges him and Lance runs down the hall to avoid another hit.

30 minutes later they were joining the others back at the deck. Hunk had managed to fall asleep, jostling himself away when Allura began to speak.  
"We should be close enough by now to get a better scan but far enough away to go unnoticed," she says. Circling around one of the planets, the Universal station came into view. It was huge, showing several Galra ships coming in and out.

"There it is," Shiro says. Gawking at it for a few seconds, he adds, "This place must handle shipments from all over the Galra Empire,"

"If this is just some big airport for shipments, why is it hidden?" Pidge questioned.

"There must be more to this than we are seeing," Shiro insists.

"Then we better go down to take a look, 'Allura concludes, "We'll need to enter the central control building,"

Keith blinked a few times then turned to her, "I'm sorry, but did you say _we,_ princess?"

"I'm going with you. I've traveled through the Galra transportation hubs many times before the war began. I know more about them than any of you," she explains.

"Sweet!" Lance perked up, holding his fist out towards her. Having taught her this, she smiled and bumped her fist against his.

"Sweet?!" Coran sputtered, "No it is certainly not! You just recovered from the ritual with the Balmera- I would rather you stay here."

"I'm a part of this fight against Zarkon as much as anyone. I'm going. Does anyone have a problem with that?"

Coran did, but he didn't' seem to want to just state that out loud and just made a long distressed noise. Lance, however, was thrilled.  
"This will be great! Finally get to see you in action, Princess,"

"She doesn't really have a weapon," Pidge says slowly.

"Who says I don't?" she huffed, "Not that I need one, anyway."  
"No offense Princess but I think you do-"

Before Keith could finish that sentence, Lance steps in, "Nope, she really doesn't. I've seen her."  
"You've seen her?"

"In training! She ripped the head of a gladiator clean off! With her bare hands!"

"No way," the other gasp and look at her. She shrugs as if it was no big deal.

With that thought in mind, Shiro shrugs in defeat, "Okay then. Suit up."

Coran gave him a disbelieving look.

* * *

 **000-000**

Piling into Pidge's lion, they had cloaked their way to the control bay. From there, it was a synch to take over the control room and destroyed the sentry's watching over it.

Dragging one of the broken Sentry's to the side of the room, Lance approached Pidge curiously to watch her sync Shiro's arm to the computer. It was strange- it was his weapon but also like his own personal cheat code into Galra tech.

"How's it look out there?" Shiro mumbled as he watched Pidge.

"All clear," Keith says.

"So how long will this take?' Lance inquired.

"Not long. With the new system Hunk and I made we should get a nice clean translation immediately. Hunk even figured out how to do it," Pidge explained.

Hunk started to talk about that stupid joke their professor use to tell them about Algorithms. Lance groaned. He hated that joke, plus, it never really made sense to him.

"Uh guy- hate to interrupt, but I think we have company," Keith motioned to a landing Galra ship above them. Ducking a little to avoid being seen, the huddled to the console, "Think we should get out of here?"  
Pidge shook her head, "We just need a few more seconds,"  
Shiro glanced towards the window, "Stay low," he instructed, "We need this info," After a few seconds, a sound beeped from the upper console.

Sucking in a heavy breath, Keith shot towards his right, grabbing Lance's arm, "Get down," he snapped at them in a rush, tugging Lance out of the sight of the screen. The others followed his lead, scooting out of the way just in time before a Galra soldier appeared on the screen.

Pressed together under the desk, Lance held his breath. The Galra soldier didn't seem to have noticed them but he didn't move. "He is still looking." Lance whispered, "I think he is waiting for a signal or something,"  
'I got it," Hunk began to inch towards the center of the room, dragging the half destroyed sentry with him.

Watching him with baited breath, Lance could faintly smell Lemon- jeez! He was just pressed against Keith and his hair was tickling his nose and it smelled fantastic! It was a crime that this paladin should exist when he was trying to focus on not getting caught by the Galra!

Lifting it, he used the severed arm to give the Galra a thumbs up. A little confused it nodded and ended the transmission.

Quick to get out from the cramped spot, Lance lifted his hand to Hunk, "Nice thinking buddy!"  
"Thanks," he high fived him using the Sentry's severed hand.

"Okay-" Pidge was already typing furiously on her computer, "Download complete,"

"What's it say?" Keith inquired.

"Nothing. This place doesn't have anything useful- just a schedule for the ships coming in and out,"

Lance sighed, disappointed, "I guess this mission was a bust then,"  
Shiro nodded. He had hoped for something to be there, but with nothing to gain, he said, "Let's get back to the castle,"  
"Hold on. Pidge, where is that ship headed?" Allura cut in, motioning to the ship that had just arrived.

"It is scheduled to be here for half and hour then head out to central commands," she answered.

Allura smirked a little, "That's where they have the information we need, and I'm going to sneak aboard that ship and get it for us,"  
The Voltron paladin stared at her, slowly coming to terms with what she had just proclaimed. Lance made a gasping noise, "What? No way!" he said in disbelief. It wasn't that he wouldn't let her go try, cause he had seen first hand how strong she was, but he at definitely wanted to hear her plan on sneaking her way all the way in there.

"How are you going to get in?" Keith inquired, intending to point out a flaw in her plan.

Expecting the question she smiles, "Easy," she takes off her helmet, "I'm going to walk right through the front," Suddenly, he body began to change. Her skin grew purple and she began to grow taller to the point she was the as tall as a Galra.

Correction, she was, in fact, Galra now.

Turns out she can just change into any species she wants. It was awesome.

Shiro, though intrigued at first, wasn't too keen on this idea, "I can't let you go in there alone,"

The princess scoffed a little, insulted, "Excuse me? I do not need your permission,"

Feeling a sudden tension they all slowly turned to their space Dad.

"The space parents are arguing," Lance muttered.

Hunk, hearing him, gave a little giggle, "I was thinking the exact same thing," they high five but lower their arms when they realize Shiro is giving them a little look.

"It is too dangerous to go alone. I am going with you," Shiro concluded.

"You will stick out like Shofairiack's nose,"

"You are going to need that nose, Princess. Shiro's arm is the only way we have to interface with Galra's tech," Pidge announced, waving Shiro's arm around.

Allura grumbled, knowing she was right. "Fine, you may come,"

Keith couldn't help but question how they were possibly going to try and sneak Shiro on board. They ended up stuffing into a supply box. It was kind of funny watching him lay within the box and then have them dump a bunch of spare parts above him.

"Good luck," they waved to them, watching with baited breath from the windows above. Allura could carry the box with ease, marching up to the two guards with little difficulty.

When they motioned for her to stop, Lance held his breath.

He released it only when two large glowing containers were pushed out of the ship and Allura was motioned to carry one.

"They're in." he sighed with relief. Watching the ship cautiously, they looked down to the large containers. They felt… strange, like something was odd about them. The illuminating yellow was enough of a sign to stay that they weren't normal.

"What do you think are in those?" Keith wondered aloud.

"I dunno-

"Well, I suspect that it's sporks." Hunk says. The turned to him, frowning.

"Sporks?" Lance inquires.

"Well yeah, we're talking about an advanced race here. Surely by now they have learned that fork and spoons are useless when a spork is efficient enough for the job." Hunk insists.

"Okayyy," Lance draws out, "I guess that makes sense."

"It does,"

"Whoa- check this guy out,' Keith caught their attention and pointed to a cloaked figure near the tubes. He wasn't like any Sentry or Galra any of them had ever seen before, really sticking out with it's four golden eyes. "Whatever requires this base to be kept secret, it probably has something to do with that scary dude," he paused, narrowing his eyes, "I'm going to go check it out." Keith turned to leave. Keith? On his own in an enemy base? That was a bad idea waiting to explode.

"Whoa wait- how about we just lay low and you don't blow our cover?" Lance suggested.

"It will be fine." he waves him off.

Huffing a bit Lance followed him, "Keith-" he grabbed his wrist as he opened the door, "I'm serious. Shiro said to stay put."

Looking over his shoulder at him, Keith smirked a bit, "Scared?"

"No. You'll blow our cover." Lance insists with a frown.

He starts to feel self-conscious at the stare he is getting from the Red Paladin. It was unreadable and unwavering- strong. Keith always had such a heavy gaze.

"I won't,"

"It is still dangerous,"

Looking down at Lance's grip on his arm, Keith tugged on it until the grip slipped down far enough for Keith to grab Lance's hand. "Lance," he says, voice warm and caressing.

Feeling a sudden weakness in his knees Lance whispers, "What?"

Keith squeezes his hand, lifting it to kiss his knuckle, "Volvere pronto. Sólo espérame, Lance,"(I will be back soon. Just wait for me, Lance.)

Lance sputtered, caught off guard, "W-Wha- how did you- when did you learn Spanish?"

"I never stopped once I started."

"You-" Lance couldn't wrap his head around that. Keith had started to learn it for Lance's, so he had no reason to after they broke up. But he still… "You did?" Lance can't stop the quiver of his lower lip.

"Yeah." He squeezes his hand, "Trust me, Lance," Pulling back with a smile, Keith ran down the hall before Lance could utter a word to stop him

Only able to stand there and watch him go, he lowered his hand. The bouncing of his heart made it hard to hear.

There was… a familiar feeling within his stomach. It was crawling up his back and bubbling in his heart- warm and gentle. He knew this feeling- he had it all throughout last year before Shiro disappeared. Before Keith left.

But it was worse than before. It shook him to his very core, pulling him towards an unknown that he couldn't fathom. It was blistering and joyful all at the same time.

"God…" His hand felt tingly from where Keith had kissed. Not sure what to do he turned to his friends, "G-Guys?"  
"Yeah?" they asked, watching him carefully.

"This isn't good." he bites his lip, helpless.

Pidge gives him an understanding little nod, "Keith is smooth. Though I don't really know what he just said- I assume you are freaking over it regardless, though, right?"

"Of course I am!" Lance yelled.

"Dude, relax." Hunk holds up his hands, "We get it- we've seen the signs, Lance."

"S-Signs?"

"You like him."

Lance moved next to them and fell to his knees, "...Do I?" he asked in a defeated tone. They patted his back.

"I don't think you ever truly stopped." Hunk admits, "It is okay Lance."

Lance took a few seconds to just breath, wrapping his head around everything, "...Are you mad?"

"Why would we be mad?" they question.

"Well you- you were mad at Keith." he stammered.  
Hunk sighed, nodding his head, "Well yeah- still am honestly. But…" he chuckled a little to himself, "I dunno, man. He's been really trying. It is hard for me to explain, even to myself, but I'm not mad."

"Me either, Lance." Pidge gives him a little smile, "I'm a little happy actually,"

'Yeah?"

She nods, "Yeah- this little 'dancing around each other' thing you two have been doing needs to stop,"

* * *

 **0000-000**

Keith kissed his hand. Keith had spoken Spanish to him. Keith had done everything he told himself he wasn't going to do for Lance's sake.

He wasn't going to convey his feeling in any way to Lance and take it slow. He would let Lance act first.

But in that moment, something just washed over him. He couldn't help it.

And the blush he had gotten from it. That beautiful shade of red that dusted Lance's face felt like it belonged there.

As Keith ran down the hall his legs felt like jelly, his entire body pumping with this excited chill he got every time he was able to get Lance to smile or laugh.

He would do it all again if he was given the choice to redo that moment just now. He might have flirted a little bit better- added a pun or a compliment, actually. He would have done everything he could to make that blush deeper- make it last longer. Was Lance still blushing now?  
Was he thinking of him?

He wasn't sure but he wanted to know.

Lance didn't seem to dislike it too- so maybe… maybe he had a chance at this?

With every fiber of his being, he hoped that was the case.

* * *

 **0000-000**

"Why are you hitting yourself? Why are you hitting yourself?" Hunk giggled as he made the robot smack its own hand against its skull.

"Stop torturing it, Hunk," Pidge tells him.

He sighed, "I'm sorry. I just- I need something to distract myself from worry about Keith getting caught or Allura and Shiro getting blasted, or us getting found in here- right now!"

"Stop it, Hunk." Pidge took the cables from him and attached them to her computer, "I think we can teach it to help us. Would you like to help us Mr. Robot?" it began to shake it's head wildly. "...Whoops."

"...Does Keith ever talk about me when I'm not in the room?" Lance suddenly inquired absentmindedly. He was leaning back against the platform, staring at the ceiling with a distant gaze.

"All the time," Pidge and Hunk sigh.

Lance wasn't expecting that and sat up, "Really?"

"He always wants to know where you are or what you are doing." Pidge grumbles as she stares at her computer, "A few days ago, I was going through Sendak's memories and he came up trying to ask about you. Wanted to know how I met you and whatever. It's like- he was really trying to talk to me and get to know me, but all the topics kept going back to you,"  
Hunk rolls his eyes, "Yeah, same for me."

Feeling dizzy, like all the blood was rushing to his face, Lance stammered, "Y-You guys serious? You aren't playing with me?"  
"We're not,"

"Jeez…" he covered his mouth, "And uh- what do you guys say about me?"  
'I dunno- the usual stuff,"

"Which is?"

"If you are worried we are talking smack about you then don't," Pidge snorted, "If he asks where you are we just tell him- and if he wants to know what you did at Garrison after he left we tell him that too. We are honest with him, Lance."  
"Ohhh."

"He once asked what your favorite flower was," Hunk announces.

"Why?"

"I dunno- he was just curious I guess,"

Finding this situation going into dangerous waters, Lance tapped at the ground nervously, "… This is a little much,"  
"Then we can stop talking about it," they focused back on the Sentry. No matter what Pidge tried it didn't seem to want to communicate with them or give information. It was tough.

After some time, though, they got a message from Keith. He had made his way to the lower levels of the base and had stumbled upon something strange.

Lifting the screen to see it, they were surprised to see a huge room filled with those glowing yellow jars.

"What is that?" Pidge frowned.

" _The Material is Quintessence, the substance with the highest energy pure unit volume in the universe,"_ The robot suddenly speaks behind them.

"Hey, nice job, Pidge," Lance praised her, "You made him work for us,"  
She couldn't seem to believe it herself and nodded numbly.

From the other end, they could hear Coran say, " _What? Impossible,"_  
" _Raw Quintessence material is transported here from throughout the Galaxy and refined into standard Galra fuel requirement,"_

 _"_ _I can't believe it_ ," Coran sounded horrified, " _They've found a new way to acquire Quintessence,"_

" _Guys,"_ Keith says, " _I'm going to try and steal some of this Quin-whatever,"_

Lance spluttered, "B-Be careful!"

There was a small pause before Keith voice reaches Lance's ears, deep and confident " _Will do, Lance. I'll come back to you soon,"_

Lance hides his blush with his hand when Pidge inquires cheekily, "Don't you mean, You'll come back to all of us soon?"

Keith scammers on the other end, " _Uh, Y-Yeah. Of course, that is what I meant-"_ he cuts the transmission off to avoid the conversation.

Hunk is just giggling like a mad man, "Well, there is that for you,"

"The guy is crazy and still manages to flirt even when he is in the midst of an enemy base. Outstanding," Pidge snorts.

* * *

 **0000-000**

10 minutes had passed since they had last heard from Shiro or Keith. Hunk was starting to bite his nail nervously. He groaned when he couldn't take it anymore, "Lance, what do you think we should do?"

"Huh? Sure Buddy." he mumbled, too distracted with his thoughts of Keith to hear him. Hunk made a little face at him.

"You worried?" he asked.

"Huh?" Lance sat up a bit, "What was that? Worried?" pulled from his thoughts he turned to Hunk. "About Keith getting caught? No. Nonono nope. I'm more worried about Allura and Shiro. If they get caught there is no guarantee we can get to them. They are in the enemy ship after all so-"

'That…" Hunk cuts in, "Wasn't what I meant. I mean about Keith and what happened before. He broke your heart, Lance."

Lance's body went rigid, and he grew defensive, "I know that better than anyone."

"And I know that is why you are freaking out about this." Hunk says gently, "Listen, I get it. I want to trust Keith, but… I'm not sure I fully sure I do after everything that has happened,"

"...Ya?" Lance asked him.

"I've said it once, I'll say it as many times as needed; You are my best friend," Hunk said with pride in his tone, "I've wanted to punch that guy the moment we saw him back at Earth. So, I want you to know, that if you want to start something new with Keith, I'll support it. But if he so much as does one wrong move, I'm clobbering the guy." he punched his own fist to show.

"And I wasn't there for the first time- but I saw what it did to you, Lance," Pidge spoke up. "I may not be able to knock him out- but he will feel my wrath if he messes this up- should you choose to tell him how you are feeling."

"Hunk. Pidge." he says affectionately, loving that he could talk to them about this and just.. he loved them so much, "You big Gassy, nerdy, wonderful people you!" Running forward he pulled them both into hugs.

They chuckled and patted his back. Pulling away, they went another 10 minutes before they got a desperate call from Keith.

" _Pidge! I need an extraction now! Hurry!"_

Lance scrambled to his feet in a panic. Oh-he- Gah! He totally knew something like this would happen!

" _Pidge, fire up the green lion. We're coming in hot,"_ Shiro also spoke at that exact moment.

Panicked before and now officially frekaing out, Pidge made a mad break to get her laptop. Of course, _both_ of them had to be in danger at the exact same moment. "Let's go!" she got to her feet and ran for the exit, "Keith is closer so we'll get him first!" making a break for the lion they shot into the air, following the GPS location of Keith's suit to find him.

When they arrived, they slammed in through the roof. Keith covered his face at the arrival.

" _Get in!"_ Pidge called to him. " _We have to get Shiro and Allura!"_

"Keith!" Lance was waiting for him the second the Lion's mouth opened, "Come on!" he held out his hand. Glancing over his shoulder to see the man that was attacking him was gone, Keith lunged forward. Grabbing Lance's hand, he let himself get tugged inside. "You got this, huh?' Lance snorted.  
"I- some things came up," Keith grumbled.

Pulling back a little, the lion closed its mouth and they were shooting out of the building. Lance grimaced, "Why are you wet?" he asked

"That freak that attacked me got that quint-whatever on me," he lifted his hand to examine the liquid. Now able to see it, Lance was horrified to see the horrible burns that seared his knuckles and palm.

"Your hand." he gasped, pulling Keith a little towards the control room, but not entering to join the others. Wincing when he touched it, both were shocked to see the burns along Keith's skins to start vanishing.

"What jus happened?" Lance hesitantly ran his finger over Keith's palm- wondering if he was seeing things.

"I… I don't know." Keith admits, just as startled, "I think it has something to do with the quintessence whatever." he slowly curls his fingers around Lance's, holding them close.

Lance took a moment to process the action before saying, "At least it seems better now. You okay?"

There is a look in his gaze, and he inquired, "Were you worried?" Lance can't help but note the sliver of hopefulness Keith has in his tone.

"...A little." Lance admits, 'But as you said- you'd be back soon."

"I did." Keith agrees, his eyes bright and raw- full of emotion. Lance finds his proximity overwhelmingly intoxicating.

"And of course- here you are. You came back," as the word left his lips Lance wondered if he meant more than just coming back from investigating those pods. Perhaps he also meant how Keith had come back into his life.

Into his heart…

Without a word, they embraced. They had moved in unison- as if something on a whole different plain had decided something for them.

Pressing his face into Keith's shoulder, Lance melts a little.

This is where he wanted to be.

He realizes this like everyone realizes everything else- with a small 'Oh," like it should have been obvious from the beginning.

This is home. This was Lance's home. And he hoped- prayed, that he was the same to Keith.

The way the Red Paladin his clinging to his back has him thinking- perhaps he is.

With that sweet thought, he turns his head towards Keith's neck a little, and quietly inhales the scent. He smells like sweat and dirt - completely Keith.

And for a moment, amidst this silent embrace, Lance allows himself the illusion that all will be well, and it soothes his ravaged soul

"Um…" Lance licked his lips after a short time, feeling like he should say something- especially since they were on their way to extract Allura and Shiro right now and should focus instead of doing this… despite how amazing this was. "Glad you are okay."  
Keith gave a little nod, his forehead bumping into Lance's temple.

Lance let himself cherish this act- his hand reaching up to cup the back of Keith's head, allowing his fingers to trail through his hair. Keith nuzzled a little closer- exhaling sweetly.

It was a serene moment- nothing forced, nothing pushed. Just- them.

"We should get back to the others," Keith whispers

"Yeah." Neither of them moved. Realizing this, Lance chuckled a bit. Keith's lips are breaking into a smile.

"When I say this, I mean we should let go," Keith snickers.

"I got that."  
They still didn't move.

"Keith," Lance snorts.

"You aren't moving either," he grins.

Forcing themselves to step back, despite how much they wished to stay in that position, they both knew that they had a job to do.

Feeling that he should say something, however, Lance says, "We should… talk about this. Later,"

Keith seemed thrilled to hear that, "Yeah! I mean-" he cuts himself off, smiling timidly, "Yes, we should. Later."

Nodding, Lance slowly stepped back. Without another word, they stepped in to join the others. Pidge was maneuvering through the area, trying to get the ship and Hunk was just staring at them with this smug little look.

"You two sure took your sweet time stumbling in here." he points out and Lance wondered if he was teasing them. Realizing he was, he almost gasped. Hunk wasn't mad- he was playfully teasing!

"Hunk." Lance nudged him, kind of happy with that. He would definitely prefer teasing than him being upset about this. Getting back to a serious note, Lance looked out the window, "We almost there?"

The ship's engines suddenly kicked into gear. Sharing a small gasp, Pidge landed on top of the control bridge, "It's already taking off!"

"Shiro!" Keith yelled into his headset.

" _We are making a break for an escape pod now!"_

Five minutes later they could see the pod shooting out from the back of the ship. Relieved, they attacked Pidge's lion to it to let them in.

But it was only Shiro that entered.

Stepping forward, Lance attempted to look behind him, thinking perhaps she was just standing in the back. She wasn't.

With a heavy feeling in his chest, he asked, "Where is Allura?" Shiro lowered his gaze, unable to look at any of them, "Shiro?" he says

With a hoarse voice, he says, "She sacrificed to save me,"

Pidge gawked at him, "Then she is still on that ship?!" she demanded.

"The once heading right for Zarkon's central command…" Hunk cut himself off in realization.

"The one that you said is way too dangerous to attack head on," Keith concluded.

"It doesn't matter how dangerous it is," Shiro straightens, determination rising in his voice, "We can't let Zarkon get Allura,"  
Hunk steps forward, "But you said going there would be a mistake. You said attack Zarkon head on would be the dumbest thing we could ever do," he quoted him.

Shiro looked away, eyebrows furrowed, "I know," he says, and he still knew it was, "But now we don't have a choice,"

"Then what are waiting for?" Lance demanded. Like hell he was going to just let Allura fall into Zarkon's hands without a fight! She had become family to him- that older sister that bugged him about everything but always had his back when he needed it most. He wasn't going to just leave her behind now.

* * *

 **For anyone who doesn't know- there is both art for this fanfic and my other fanfic on my tumblr**

 **Smiles4Voltron is the name if you are interested :D**


	18. Just a few more seconds

None of them really knew what to say when the arrived back at the castle. There wasn't any time to waste so as soon as they arrived Pidge started to hunt down the ship that took Allura.

Coran looked pale when he ran to them, "What happened? Where's Allura?!"

With a pained expression, Shiro says, "They captured her. She sacrificed herself to save me and the information- I didn't have a choice,"

Rage flashed behind Coran's eyes. It was unnerving and foreign- Coran should never look at someone with hate, but he was. "How is that possible?!"

"Coran," Shiro attempts in an even tone, "I'm sorry things didn't go as plan, but we can't focus on what went wrong right now. We gotta figure out how to make it right," He turned, "Pidge? Anything?"

Pidge was quiet as she pulled out the schematics. She had found it alright, and the thing was huge.

"Look at the size of that thing," Coran whispered in horror.

"I think we should go in right away," Pidge suggested, "Every second we wait gives Zarkon longer to prepare for us,"

'I agree," Lance steps forward, ready to get into action. He didn't understand why they were still even discussing it. If they had the coordinates they should just go! "I say we form Voltron, go in, get Allura, then get out."

Hunk didn't look as enthusiastic, "Do you guys not remember the Balmera?" he inquired weakly, "We could barely take on one fleet back then, but a base this big could hold a thousand fleets!"

"Or, maybe we shouldn't go on this mission at all,"

Feeling cold, Lance turned to Keith, "What did you just say?" he demanded darkly.

"Think about it- We will be delivering the Universe's only hope the universe's biggest enemy."

No one moved at his suggestion. They couldn't fathom the words Keith was attempting to convey.

"Keith- that's cold, even for you," Hunk shakes his head in disbelief, "What if it was one of us? What if it was me? You wouldn't leave me, would you?" when Keith doesn't reply, he frowns, "Would you?"

With a bile in his throat, Lance's spits, "Of course he would,"

"Lance-" Shiro says to stop him.

"I'm just saying the truth. Of course he wants to just leave Allura! That is what Keith does- he _leaves,"_

Keith steps back, startled, "That isn't- Lance, that isn't it," he insists.

"Leave Allura with Zarkon- that is what you just said to do. Leave her to die by the hands of the man who had taken everything from her! What am I not getting about this Keith?"

"I'm not saying I like the idea! I'm just thinking like a Paladin!"

"No, you are thinking about yourself because you are too scared to do what's right!" when Lance moved forward, Shiro threw out an arm to stop him.

'Everyone calm down!"

"What if it was Lance, Keith?" Hunk slammed his fists against the console hard enough to have Pidge jump in surprise, "Would you go then? How could you just abandon Allura after everything she has done for us! She wouldn't leave us behind!"

Stepping back like Hunk physically hit him, Keith stammered, "I-I don't want to leave her behind, but there is no chance to get her back without all of us being killed!" Keith yelled. They knew he had a point- they did… but old wounds were running deep through a certain Blue Paladin. Perhaps had this been the first time he had seen this, he would have understood Keith better… but it wasn't.

"Everything about being a Paladin is dangerous. There is a chance we could die in every mission- stop trying to use that as an excuse!"

"I'm not! I just don't want to see any of you guys hurt!"

"So then we just throw Allura to the wolves?!"

"No! Of course not! But she wouldn't want us all getting killed to go after her! She wouldn't want you killed! I don't want you killed, Lance!"

"And you think I do?! But that doesn't make it right to just leave her!"

Pidge tried to stop the fighting, "Guys stop! We are all upset that we lost Allura-"

"No! Shiro lost Allura!" Coran roared.

"I know I did!" when Shiro screamed everyone stepped back. Taking a few seconds to breath, Shiro lowered his head, "This is- all of this is my fault," he admits brokenly, "I know. But the longer we stand here and bicker the higher the chance is of us losing Allura forever. We need to think-" he pleads with his team, "How do we get Allura?"  
The team turned to their own panels- pulling up the schematics to get a general idea of the place. Lance scanned through every possible entrance they could for the place. There was nothing. At every angle, they would see them coming from a mile away.

Lifting a hand to his sore neck, he sighed. Now that the initial fight was starting to die off, he was feeling tired.

He.. hadn't meant to yell at Keith. As horrible as it was, he knew Keith wanted to save Allura has much as the rest of them. He was just trying to think of the rest of their safety too. He could have phrased his words a little better but- Lance understood. They were all just so upset about it.

They knew there was always a chance this could happen, but it was just a small thought in the back of their minds. It didn't feel real- the chance of them dying.

But now death was looking them in the eye and none of them wanted that. It was scary.

"I think we figured something out," Shiro stepped forward, "Everyone, eye's front. We've got a plan to get Allura,"

Rising to his feet, Lance narrowed his eyes.

"We're going to jump to the heart of the enemy unseen and undetected."

"I thought we needed Allura to open up a wormhole?" Pidge questioned.

"It's true that Allura powers the castle's ability to travel through wormholes, however, I think we had enough of her residual energy in the system to make one jump-" he motioned to the screen, "We'll hide the castle here inside one of the larger planets in Zarkon's command system. It will be so dense that we'll be hidden,"

"From there we'll use the castle to scan for Allura on Zarkon's ship and attack before he knows what hit him," Shiro says.

"There is only one hiccup," Coran adds, "We only have enough energy to wormhole in, but without Allura, we won't be able to wormhole out."

"It doesn't matter," Shiro tells him, "We're not leaving without her," he turns to his Paladin's, "Do we all understand?" when they nodded, he narrowed his eyes. "Then get ready. Whatever you need, grab it before you head to your lion. Keith, get a new glove and meet us down there." Shiro told him. "Everyone else, you know what to do. We head out in 30 minutes."

Everyone nodded, turning to run off. Lance couldn't help but linger. Noticing him, Shiro stopped.

"Lance?"

"Shiro, be honest with me… what are our chances?"

His leader took a deep breath, "The odds aren't good… but we have to push through,"

Lance nods a little, "Yeah…"  
"We'll get through this. We always do," Shiro assured him.

Nodding, not feeling the same kind of confidence, Lance turned to go down the hall. He paused when Shiro placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Just in case-" he pauses, "If there is anything you need to get off your chest- now is the time. None of us know what will happen out there,"

Not quite sure what he was getting at, Lance stepped away, "Okay.." Slowly inching his way down the hall, he found himself drawn to the Paladin armory. Extra supplies for their uniforms were stored within.

Taking a deep breath, he stepped inside. Keith was by the storage pods that held extra gloves. He had to put on new under gear, elbow guards, and gloves thanks to the damage the acid had done. Lance was still grateful it had healed so quickly.

"Hey," he startles Keith when he speaks.

Turning, he gave Lance a little nod, "Hey, Lance."

"All good to go?" he folded his arms, feeling cold.

Keith looked away, "More or less,"

There was a long pause between the two. There was so much to say but neither knew where to start.

"Lance, about Allura… I didn't mean- I was just… I said some things I really shouldn't have."

"Yeah, you did," Lance agrees, "But...I get it. We are all kind of freaked out right now. I said some stuff I shouldn't have either,"

"You said the truth,"

Not expecting that, the blue paladin lifted his gaze, "What?"

"I run away… I always have," Keith turned away from him to glare at the ground, "I haven't changed at all,"

"Keith…"

"But- I will get Allura back. I won't leave her, Lance," he promises. "I don't want to leave anyone ever again. Not her, the others… not you, Lance."

" _15 minutes out,"_ Coran's voice spoke above them and echoed through the castle. Like their own personal counter to their dooms, the two paladins gulped heavily

"We should get going,"  
With a numb nod, Lance steps to the side to let Keith pass him. The smell of lemons is fading from him.

Desperate to keep that smell around- to keep him around, Lance reaches out and grabs Keith's wrist. "Don't go."

"Lance-?" Keith stumbled when Lance gave his arm a tug. The next thing Keith knew, Lance was embracing him, arms wrapped around Keith's shoulders.

" _Don't go_ ," he says again

Keith froze, hands numbly pressed to his back. "...Lance?" he whispered. He was afraid that if he breathed too heavily in this moment- everything would fall apart.

"I… sorry, I just wanted to- just in case this mission ends up going wrong I wanted-" Lance cut himself off when Keith rubs his back reassuringly.

"Yeah." he gets it, "I understand."

Biting his lip, Lance tightened his grip, "I know you won't run away…" he babbles, "You'll fight to the end just like the rest of us but- but this might just be the end so um… I just wanted to say that I… I mean, I don't know what I want to say. Everything is just kind of bouncing around in my brain and ideas change and I freak out too much."

Pulling away, Keith tilts his head a bit to look up at Lance's face, "We'll get Allura and get out. Nothing bad will happen."

"You can't know that." Lance croaks.

"I won't let anything bad happen. Not to Allura, the team- and not to you." he swore. "I-" his hand moved up, thumb brushing the side of Lance's face. They were both nervous, breathing uneven, unable to pull their gazes away.

Were they willing to try this again after everything that happened? Could Lance ever truly trust that Keith would possibly still have feelings for him when he was unsure if he had them in the beginning?

"Keith…" Lance leans into his palm. "I can't- I don't know how to-" he bit his lip, sighing, "Why is this so hard?" he whispers harshly.

"I don't know. I wish it wasn't," Keith admits. Cupping Lance's face, Keith pulled his head down, kissing his forehead. Lance pulled away, eyes wide. "Just- I want you to know that I never let you go," he whispers.

Lance wasn't sure what was he talking about and asked in a quiet voice, "What?"

"A few months after I left Garrison I started to realize something. It was hard- but I managed to keep on going, even without Shiro. I could move on from Shiro…" he murmurs so gently that Lance has to lean forward a little to hear him. Keith took that chance to press his forehead to the blue paladin's, "I couldn't move on from you, Lance."

Those words hit Lance harder than he thought they would. They tore through him, cutting his heart and searing his soul

"You… really?"

"Yes. I thought about you every day. I thought if I focused on the Blue lion and trying to find it I could forget you but I couldn't… God- I couldn't Lance. That's why I kept that Pen. It was dumb but it was the only thing I had left from you-"

The sob that shuddered over Lance's shoulder had startled them both. Realizing he was crying, Lance lifted his hand to cover his mouth- bawling into his palm.

Keith takes a huge wounded breath at the sight.

"Please don't-" his fingers dance over Lance's cheeks, brushing at tears, "Don't cry." he pleads with a weak voice. He held him, whispering into his ear. Lance fell against him, hiding his face into the crook of his neck.

"I'm sorry. I am so sorry, Lance. What I did wasn't right. I knew this but- I tried to move on, I really did- but the more I tried, the more I wanted to go see you. But I thought you would never want to see me again. I didn't deserve to go and see you again. I know my actions don't really make sense- I'm sorry. They don't make sense to me either, but it is true. When you told me you… that you loved me-" his voice cracked and he took a second to compose himself, "I got scared. You were right before. I ran away because I couldn't find the strength to stay with you. I was too afraid to lose you that I pushed you away and lost you anyway."

"Keith…" he choked, "Sto- stop talking." Lance couldn't bare to hear this.

"No." Keith pleaded, "I need you to hear this. Please, Lance. I just- I know I don't deserve you or any of this but if I could go back and change what happened- I would. I would do anything to change what happened on that day but I'm not strong enough to do that. I'm not strong enough to protect you or anyone but I want to try. Just a chance to be by your side… In any shape or form, if I could just stay with you… that would be enough."

Lance was sniffing, small hiccups shaking his body. Keith looked at him desperately, "Lance? Lance say something."

The universe went still when Lance kissed him.

Paused in a surreal moment, lips to lips, they stood for a long time. Just this single fleeting moment felt like enough to keep them going for thousands of years.

When Lance finally stepped back, Keith followed him. Pressed as far as human contact dare allow their lips grazed the others with a slight touch.

With a small tremble, Lance manages to say, "I don't think I ever- got over you either," Lance almost laughs, "I know I didn't- you were all I could think about." Keith gives him a peck of a kiss when a tear rolled down his cheek. "I don't-" when his voice cracked he stopped to gather himself- or at least put back a piece or two in this mess of a puzzle he calls his heart. "I'm not sure where to take this from here but I just- just come out of this alive." Lance begged him, "I don't care about what happened a year ago, just make sure you are alive by the end of today,"

Keith choked a little, "What?"

"I forgive you, Keith." Lance feels a weight leaving his chest, "God I forgive you because I'm just glad you are here now and I just want you to stay here…" He can feel the red paladin beginning to shake below his fingertips,

"H-How can you forgive me? After everything that I did- how can you just-"

"I don't understand it either." Lance kissed him, "I just can."

Keith was trembling now, arms snaking around Lance's waist. He never thought that Lance would- he hoped, but he never thought it would actually happen.

Forgiveness.

The thought of it had his knees buckling and he collapsed, dragging both of them to the floor. They held each other for a long time; the threat of this upcoming battle heavy on their minds. The chances of success weren't pretty, they both knew what could happen but- just for this moment, they wanted to forget.

Forget about Voltron, Zarkon, Garrison, everything. Just for this single moment, they allowed themselves to simply take comfort in the other.

Realizing their 30 minutes was drawing to a close they stood and started to inch towards the door, holding the other as long as possible. "If we make it out of this- do you wanna go on a proper date?"

"Te recogeré a las 6," Keith murmurs. (I'll pick you up at 6)

Lance chuckled, the sound of Spanish sounding wonderful on Keith's lips, "Será mejor que tome una ducha antes o estoy cortando su salmonete." (You better take a shower before or I'm cutting off your mullet)

"Sabes que te encanta," Keith challenges playfully. (You know that you love it)

Lance hummed in agreement, "Perhaps I do," With one last kiss, they pulled away and stepped out- hand in hand. "Be careful," Lance pleaded, "Don't do anything reckless."

"I was going to say the same to you,"

"Yeah but you are the one who would actually do it and be fully aware that you're doing it."

"I-" he cuts himself, "Cannot deny that."  
"Yeah, you cannot."

Keith tugged on his hand to pull Lance in, kissing him again. It was almost ridiculous- they just couldn't pull away. So then… it was more of ridiculously wonderful, right? But seriously, it was bad.

They needed to start heading to their lions but they just- it was too hard.

Peppering Keith's cheeks and nose with every kiss he wishes he could have given him since finding him, Lance sighed. This red paladin of his was torture. "We should go,"

"I know. Just-" _Just a few more seconds._

"Yeah," The castle shook slightly- they were entering a wormhole. They had to go, _now_.

Lance had a million things to say and no time to convey even half of them. "Keith,"

"I have something important to tell you," Keith murmurs in a panic, glancing quickly down the hall, "Not now- but later. When you won't have to leave the second I tell you."

Lance is nodding numbly, "Okay." he agrees, fumbling to kiss him once more- twice more- as many times as he could before they had to run down this hall to their possible doom, "Tell me next time you see me,"

"I will. I promise-" his gaze wavered, "Lance," Keith had stepped back just to step forward and hug him, "Please, _please,_ be safe out there,"

"You too," They stepped away, their hands lingering, holding onto the other as long as other before their fingers slipped and they turned.

As he barreled down the hall, Lance realized something.

He was still in love with Keith Kogane.

The thought was torturous both for the fact that he couldn't just run and hold Keith in his arms and that he couldn't guarantee he wouldn't get his heart broken again.

At the same time, the thought was recklessly wonderful.

It was almost hideously overwhelming.

He knew because he was starting to use all these big words which was very unlike him.

He loved it.

He loved Keith.

In fact, he dare say, he loved more than he ever did in Garrison.

What a terrifying acceptance- knowing that you fell even harder and if things were to play out again and Keith left him broken hearted… he wouldn't be able to pick up the pieces this time.


	19. Here it is safe and warm

_**IMPORTANT MUST READ!**_

So yeah, if anyone of you read the summary when you first started this fanfic you will notice I clearly stated "RATING MAY CHANGE" meaning, that later I may change the rating of this story. Now, it is already T. Despite some language here and there, I honestly think most of this story has been K+.

But things have changed in this chapter. And honestly, it may just be for this chapter alone. A lot of you have been requesting the Klance sexy times and if that is really what you want- I can pull it off. But I also don't want to ruin it for any of the readers who don't.

SO I'M KEEPING IT T, BUT I"M PUTTING A _**WARNING**_ before things get too serious. And things honestly don't go... too far. 0.0

There is mentions of drugs in this chapter though, so yeah that is a T rated thing for sure. It isn't flat out stated to what it is- but you'll get the idea of what it is.

So I just wanted to warn you. So this chapter may not be enjoyed by some people and others may be fine with it. If you don't when you get to the warning just skip to the next BOLDED WORDS, to get past all that.

* * *

Nothing about the last couple hours made sense to him. They got in their lions, formed Voltron, and attacked the Galra fleet. That is really all he knows because the rest of the time was this constant fire of guns and lasers and he just wanted to get out of this alive!

In the rush of the fight, he could faintly recall a few conversations. Shiro had been tossed from his lion- how the hell that was possible he didn't know.

Allura needed someone else to save her- Hunk volunteered and he had to cover his butt, literally, as he crashed into the side of the Galra ship and got her. Thank goodness.

Pidge was cool and Lance and her just watched each other's back.  
Coran was awesome and went ninja on the Galra with the Castle!

… And Keith picked a fight with the big bad guy of the Universe. Yeahhhhhhhh.

" _You guys get the Princess without me,"_ Lance had heard him say. He couldn't believe his ears.

"What?" he demanded, "We gotta stick together! What are you doing?!"

There was only a short pause before Keith said, " _Whatever I can. I'll be fine, Lance. I promised you I would,_ "

He also promised not to do anything crazy- or at least try not to.

Was he bipolar or something? How could he switch sides so easily? What happened to- _No, no, we can't fight Zarkon dead on because it would be crazy! We could die! We have to protect Voltron and keep it from his hands._

But it was fine if Keith just went charging at him one on one?! What kind of priorities did he have?!

It was a suicide mission that Coran constantly tried to warn him about, but Keith ignored him each time.

The worse part was that Lance couldn't even get over to him to help him. He was pinned from all directions and with Hunk still with the Galra fortress, he couldn't move an inch.

Lance honestly didn't know what to do with Keith once they all get back to the castle. Safe and away from Zarkon's reach, he was going to give Keith a real ear chewing for his impulsive actions. He could have died. _Died_.

Lance would have never forgiven him if he did. He couldn't stand losing Keith again.

All in all, he kind of should have expected the actions. Keith was always acting on pure instinct and if he thought he had a chance to destroy Zarkon, of course he would take it. Didn't make the idea any better, but in some ways he understood.

Some ways.

… He would never tell Keith that he actually thought it was cool he was able to unlock a new weapon from his lion though. His crazy actions didn't deserve such a praise!

He didn't need to feed ideas that Keith was some kind of invincible being- who knows what kind of monster that would create!

Lance was literally shaking and sweating in his seat with worry as he could hear Keith's struggling through the comms. Each yell of pain took 10 years off his life...

Fortunately, Shiro was able to save Keith's life after managing to return to his lion thanks to Allura and Hunk. He was never able to fully ask what went down in the fortress, but once they got Allura, none of that mattered.

"Allura!" he yelled into the comms when he returned to the castle, "Are you okay?"

"I am fine Lance. Thank you all for coming for me," it was a relief to hear her voice, "Now paladins, let's leave this awful place!"

"Finally!" Pidge huffs. They waited, but nothing seemed to appear. A few more seconds… still nothing.

Hunk was going into a panic, "Uh- hello?! What's going on? I don't see a worm hole!"

Allura fumbled with her controls, slamming her fist into them, "I can't!"

"The Galra barrier is jamming our ability to make one!" Coran squeaked.

Lance panted heavily as a few Galra ships started to surround them. They were stuck with no way of getting out. The situation, with a few bumps, had gone kind of according to plan till now. With that barrier up though there was no chance of getting out of here.

But then, something strange happened.

It fell.

With nothing more than a second of warning, the barrier dropped around them, showing them their exit.

"What just happened?!" Pidge gasped in surprised.

"Who cares?!" Hunk demanded, "Wormhole!"

"Everyone! Get aboard!" Coran yelled. They made a break for the castle as fast as they could, barely able to get in before they were shooting into the wormhole.

Just as they entered, the interior of it changed. Morphing from a calming blue, the wormhole became a sickening purple.

"Coran?" Shiro yelled, "What's happening?!"

"The integrity of the wormhole has been compromised! It's breaking down!"

"What does that mean?!" Lance panicked

"It means we have no control of where we're headed!"

The castle shook violently, tossing their lions within. Barely able to keep a steady grip on the controls, Lance felt himself tugged out of his hangar bay and into the wormhole. He screamed as they were flung around, spiraling the castle once before they were hitting the edges.

" _Keith!"_ he caught a glimpse of Red to his right as they slammed into the walls of the wormhole.

Only able to focus on the spinning and the sound of his own voice screaming he felt himself falling.

Realizing only a second later that this was indeed a fact, he wasn't able to react fast enough before he hit an ice covered ground below.

When the lion crashed, the pressure of the fall was cushioned by freezing water below the icy surface. They were sinking then, and Lance could take a moment to just catch his breath.

An ocean. He landed in an ocean.

With heavy gasps, he scanned the retreating darkness, noticing a familiar red lion beside him, "Keith?! Keith are you okay?!" he called to him over the blaring alarm light going off over his head.

Unable to talk through the comms on their lion's with Red being down, Keith spoke up through their helmets, "Yeah… I'm fine. You?"

"My lion's main system is down- but the alarms work at least," he sighed, "I'm just amazed we hit a planet,"

"We were lucky with that," Keith agreed, "How far are we going to sink?"

Lance watched cautiously as the sunk downward into this bottomless pit. Well not bottomless, what he means is that oceans was big for a reason. Unless the oceans on this planet were bottomless... "We need to contact the others,"

"I doubt our comms will reach them from wherever we are," They paused as they hit the bottom. "And, my lions stuck," Keith paused. "Hey."

"Yeah?"

"I'm glad you're okay,"

Lance purses his lips and says nothing. Don't think for even a second he didn't remember the whole Zarkon one on one thing!

"...Lance?"

"You wouldn't do anything reckless… huh?" he grumbles.

The red paladin didn't say anything for a while, eventually clearing his throat to say, "He was right there, Lance."

"You almost died, Keith." Lance pinched the bridge of his nose, "Though I don't know why I am surprised- I should have known you would have done something like that. You always do."

"It was Zarkon! Wouldn't you have tried to take him out if you could?" Keith demanded.

"With backup- yeah! Why were you even so pissed off? That was the first time you even met the guy!"

"He destroyed Allura's home, took Shiro away, took Shiro's arm, Pidge's family, oh, and his lackey almost killed you, Lance. It didn't matter if that was the first time I ever met him." he grunts in response. "I almost lost you because of him…"

Lance folded his arms slowly, letting that sink in. "...And I almost lost you out there."

Keith sighs in defeat, "Yeah… sorry."

Knowing nothing would come from keeping a grudge, Lance nodded, "We need to check for damage and get our lions running," he says instead. Ready to stand up and look he was surprised to see his screen burst to life, "Oh hey- never mind. Blue is coming back online," when it lifted its head he smiled, "Welcome back beautiful," he was glad it was okay.

Now they could- the lights in the front of his lion turned on and he swear, on everything he knows to be true… he saw a mermaid.

"... Uhhh," with wide eyes he blinks a few times, "Keith? Did you just see that?"

"See what?" he grunts, tapping his controls to get his lion to activate. Nothing seemed to be working.

Certain he had seen something, Lance looked around. He spotted it again. A little clearer this time, he knew he had to be seeing things, "This is going to sound crazy… but I just saw a mermaid," it swam away before he could confirm it.

"Mermaids are a government conspiracy," Keith says automatically.

"I- what?" Lance frowned, "They're a what, Keith?"

"A government conspiracy," he says.  
"...HUH? Wait- this isn't about that stupid Mothman thing is it-?"

"They tell you they aren't real- but they are!"

Lance sighed, recalling the many nights back at Garrison where they discussed this. "Right. Okay, so you believe me about the mermaid thing?"

"I believe they are on Earth, but why would they be here, Lance?"

"Cause I just saw one~" he gasped when it swam by his window, "Look! There it is again!" he moved Blue around wildly to keep up with it.

"Stop messing around, Lance. We gotta fix my lion and get back to the others-" Keith cut himself off when Lance swam in front of his lion, "Why are you out of your lion?!" he snapped.

"I know we have to find the others. I'm worried about them too… but maybe this thing can help us!" he offered. "Plus, it's a mermaid!" he squealed, "You can't tell me you don't want to investigate this! I saw it on your blog! I know you do! You could be the first guy to discover a mermaid-"

Shooting out like a rocket, Keith grabbed him, "We gotta find it!"

"Knew you would agree," he smirked. Turning on the light attached to his wrist, they started a hot pursuit to follow the mermaid.

Shooting around a few towering rock structures, Keith suddenly hit his arm, "It's a mermaid," he whispered when he saw her.

"I told you,"

"It's a fucking mermaid," he started to murmur to himself, cursing and cackling at his old roommate Jack, who had never believed any of his conspiracy nonsense. Swimming up a small incline, the two stopped when lights came into view.

A beautiful underwater city was before them and both of them starting to internally squeal: _Atlantis!_

"Dude!" Lance reached out, snagging Keith's hand. He grinned back. "..." Pausing to look down at their hands, they pulled away with reddening faces. They still hadn't talked about… what happened before the fight. It was obvious what had transpired, of course- but there was still lingering through in the air. Details and questions and just- how were they going to go about this?

"Um- so, Atlantis," Lance motions to it.

"It probably isn't called that on a different planet," Keith clears his throat.

"Yeah-"

"Hello!" a smiling face appeared between them. Realizing it was the mermaid, the two of them yelled and swam back in shock. She simply smiled, "Welcome to my village. Here, all are safe and warm," with an adorable smile a few other merfolk appeared around them. They seemed to be guards of the village and lifted their weapons.

Keith was quick to pull out his bayard, tugging Lance behind him. "You wanna fight?" he growled at them.  
"Please!" the mermaid they followed swam forward to stop them, "They did not mean to startle you! You are our guests," she insisted, "I am Flarona. My Queen, the keeper of our land, would love to meet with you,"

Glancing at Keith, Lance frowned, "How did your Queen know we were here?" he inquired cautiously.

"Queen Luxia knows all," Flarona says simply. Accepting that for now, despite it being strange, Lance and Keith followed her into her city.

They were carried in, actually… by seahorses. Giant seahorses the size of normal horses and both of them were just freaking out the entire time because it was awesome. Not many things impressed Keith- but no one could say that wasn't cool!

"Okay so- we talk then go back to the lions," Keith concludes.

"Maybe this Queen can help us contact the others?" Lance suggested.

"We'll see… I should have brought my camera," Keith quietly curses himself as he scans over the large crowds of passing merfolk.

Making it to the castle, they were greeted by a large and very beautiful mermaid. She smiled warmly at them and said, "Space travellers, I am Queen Luxia. I welcome you to our village as honored guests,"

"The honor is all ours," Lance smiles and bows his head, "I'm LanceeeEee-" his body started to float up. Curse his light buoyancy

Keith made a grab for his ankle, tugging him down, "I'm Keith-" he struggled to pull Lance down. With a small and very embarrassing struggle they got Lance up-straight and cleared their throats, "We need to contact our team. Do you have a way to do that?"

"Keith, Lance," she smiled, "I can solve all of your problems. Here we are all safe and warm,"

Keith blinked twice, his frown deepening a little. Forcing his instant conspiracy thoughts away, he nodded, "We would appreciate that."

"Yeah!' Lance gushed next to him

Chuckling the Queen motioned for a merman to come forward. Holding some kind off Conch shell of some sort, he brought it towards them. Placing it to their helmets a bubble of air appeared around their heads, "I have brought you these. The Bubble coral will provide you with all the air you need,"

Not sure how a single bubble would be able to provide them enough air to last a while, Lance hesitantly pulled off his helmet. Finding that he could breath just fine, he gave the thumbs up to Keith.

Shrugging a little, he took of his helmet and held it at is side, "Thanks… I guess."

She nodded to them and lifted her hand to motion above, "And rest assured, your space vessels are well protected," she motioned above to reveal that giant Manta Rays were carrying their lions into the city. Keith frowned.

He didn't seem to like that they went to grab the lions without permission, but didn't say much about it.

"Thanks," Lance noticed an odd glowing structure behind them, "What is that?"

"That is the Baku garden. It provides the city with energy. When the waters froze over we were forced to live down here. The garden provides us warmth and food to survive. Because of it we are taken care of." she smiled, "Here we are safe and warm,"

Keith shook his head a little, "You said that before… around three times," he scowls.

"Don't be rude," Lance nudged him.

Keith huffed at him, folding his arms. When the Queen offered them dinner, Lance said yes. He was starving and food sounded amazing right now. And man was it worth it! The food here was way better than that space goo they had been eating the last couple weeks!

And with the battle they just had, they chowed down gratefully. You would think neither of them had ever eaten before with how fast they were consuming.

"You Majesty, this food is amazing," Lance tells her.

She pauses to give him a long look, as if something is wrong. "I am glad you are enjoying it. It was brought straight from the Baku garden." she lifted her hand, "And I hope you enjoy the entertainment,"

Seeing what appeared to be a mermaid behind a curtain, Lance raised his eyebrow. He gagged when it turned out to be a giant octopus.

It started to dance.

Gross. He wasn't going to watch this.

"You said you could help us." Keith says to the Queen, "Do you have communication sources that can reach space?"

"Please, let's discuss that after the dance," the Queen insisted. Frowning, Keith looked back at the dance with a sigh.

Lance wasn't even sure how he could stand to look at it honestly. He would much rather just stare at his knees and stuff his face with this awesome food. "Thanks for the uh- weird dance, but no thanks." he admits quietly.

"It isn't that bad," Keith suddenly says.

"You're serious?" Lance lifted his head to gawk at him. "No thank you,"

Keith was staring a head, his gaze almost distant, "It's kind of beautiful,"

Lance wanted to take his word for it, but no- he hated octopus' with a passion. When he was little he had gone to the beach with his family. His brother though it would be funny to sneak one into Lance's lunch.

To this day he wasn't even sure how his brother got a hold on such a thing, but he did and a giant octopus would forever haunt his dreams when he naively opened his lunch.

"What were we talking about again?" Keith turns to the Queen, sounding distracted and dazed.

"You said you wanted to visit the rest of the Kingdom with Lance," she explained.

Lance frowned, "He did?"

"Oh yeah, I did," Keith nodded slowly. He stood up, surprising Lance when he grabbed his wrist.

"You did?" with a sharp tug they were moving, "Wait Keith, slow down!" Lance was dragged through the water.

Shocked at the sheer power with Keith's kicks, they were already shooting out of the room and down the hall. The Queen quietly followed, trailing behind slowly, letting them have space, "Let's go see the rest of the village," Keith says.

"Oh uh- okay?" not sure what the rush was, Lance followed the best he could. They shot through the corridors, and when Keith's hand slipped into his own, he stammered, "W-What are you doing?" People were watching.

"We're looking at the village," Keith state blatantly. No duh! But what was with the sudden hand holding?

It was nice but- super sudden. Or was it? Lance wasn't sure. It wasn't like he's ever broken up with someone just to get back together with them later. He didn't know what the correct kind of actions were okay at this point. Were they suppose to take this slow? Start a new? Or do people just kind of start right back where they left off?

What was the norm?

"... Do you not want to see the Village?" the earnest look in Keith's eyes was wonderful.

"We.." he sighed, "We can look a little," he couldn't say no to that face. "But we do have to contact the others soon."

"We will," Keith was tugging on him. Following him, Lance watched Keith. After a few minutes, he wondered if Keith was actually even happy to be looking at the village. He was smiling, but his eyes were distant.

"Um-"

"It is safe and warm here," Keith tells him.

"...Kay?" he frowned, feeling awkward. Keith smiled at him and leaned his head against his shoulder, nuzzling his neck fondly. KAY?

Making a few panicked and unsure noises, Lance froze up. Keith didn't move, so he didn't either. They just stood there, staring out to the village.

"..."

Keith had been very quiet for a while, so Lance decided to strike up a conversation to avoid this embarrassment. Not sure what to talk about at first, and not really wanting to talk too much about their actual relationship right now, he chose the first thing he could think of.

"H-Have I ever told you, it was always a big dream of mine to be a merman?"

"Really, that's cool." Keith cooed. He fucking cooed. It was cute- but it wasn't a Keith kind of thing to do. Or, maybe it was? Maybe he was just opening up or something? He never did this back at Garrison though. This whole- being cute and touchy, was kind of Lance's thing.

"Yeah. Probably a weird dream though right? But, when I was younger my parents brought me to this aquarium and they had a mermaid show." Lance's eyes shined at that thought and he kept going on. "And I really admired how pretty her scales were; they were a mesmerizing shade of green." He added. "They were the most beautiful color I had ever seen,"

"I bet I've seen a better color,"

Lance tilts his head, curious, "Oh yeah?"

"The color of your eyes."

….Whoa whoa. Hold up. What… was… that?

Was Keith- Was he flirting?

"...Repeat that?"

Keith sighs longingly, "Do you have a map? Cos Honey, I just keep gettin' lost in your eyes," he smiled at Lance like he had lassoed him the moon and Lance just- jeez. Keith called him honey. He called him honey and that is just- that is different

This is awesome and new, and he doesn't know what to think when he hears that.

Ignoring the hammering beats of his heart in his chest, Lance let out something like a nervous laugh, "W-What? What are you talking about, Keith?" Keith never just flirted like that. Even when they were dating before. He just kind of- Lance didn't know how to put it- he just didn't flirt, okay? At least, not like that. Not super sudden and out of nowhere.

Is Keith trying to pick up where they left? That doesn't seem like him though. But the same time, Keith is more of a straightforward type of guy, not beating around the bush, but this was a little.. much. Ke-

"Do you have a name or can I just call you mine?" Lance's brain just short circuited when he winked. He didn't even know Keith knew how to wink. He once tried to teach him and Keith just blinked.

"Uh-"

"If God made anything more beautiful than you, I'm sure he'd keep it for himself." Lance shrinks into himself till he feels like his body would become one with the ocean.

"You don't-what?" Lance avoided his burning gaze, "What are you even saying right now? You don't mean any of that-"

"Your eyes are bluer than the Atlantic ocean and honey, I'm lost at sea." he said rapidly before Lance could prepare himself for Keith's next set of pickup lines.

He fumbled through his blush, incoherent noises garbling from his mouth, "I- huh? What the hell, Keith? S-Shut up," Lance was ready to swim away to collect his thoughts, but the hand on his wrist tightened. When he met Keith's gaze again it was warm and full.

With a quiet voice, he says, "You're so beautiful that you give the sun a reason to shine, Lance."

Lance would not admit that he swooned…

Okay, maybe just a little. Only a little though! Who wouldn't when it was flipping Keith Kogane who was saying that to them?

When Keith hugged him he didn't fight it and let himself melt into this embrace. Strong arms were wrapped snugly around his torso cradling Lance as if he was something precious.

The idea of being considered _precious_ to Keith was numbing enough to make him forget about the team for a while.

"...What were we doing again?" Lance inquired dumbly.

"Exploring the village," Keith kisses his nose cutely.

"Oh. Right," he nods vigorously, "Let's go… let's go do that,"

* * *

"Your highness," the guard nodded.

"Hmm?" she turned, "Ah, tell me, how are Keith and Lance? Have they- have they come to love the village as we do?"

"Keith seems to wish to stay, but Lance- he is not as willing. The food given to him from the Baku garden does not seem to have the same affect in him as his companion,"

"Shame." The Queen pauses, "Perhaps he simply needs a… different, type of convincing?" she hummed sweetly and reached for a small jar. "Give this to Keith," she commanded. "A little on his lips will be enough I'm sure."

"Yes, my Queen," the guard bowed.

* * *

Lance didn't think much of it when the guard approached them with a few gifts. Some of it was food, or small trinkets. He wasn't too interested in them, or hungry… they should really try to contact the team. Who knows where they had ended up and they might need help.

"Aren't these nice, Lance?" Keith asked him, swinging their hands a little. He had been messing with a little jar a second ago, but he must have put it down somewhere.  
"Uh, yeah sure." he nods. Keith gives him a dazzling grin, draping himself over Lance's arm.

….Should he question this? Was something wrong about this? He couldn't tell. "You feeling okay, Keith?"

"I feel great,"

"You sure? You are acting a little- I dunno- odd?" he admits. Keith pauses and gives him a long look.

"Odd?" he inquires innocently.

"Like you're being more mellow than usual." he clears his throat, "And more- you just seem more affectionate lately. Like- super affectionate."

"Is that a bad thing?"

Lance felt heat creeping up his neck, "N-No. I just didn't think you would- so soon. We just- we're together, right? We're officially together again, right?"

"Of course, I thought it was obvious,"

With that confirmation, Lance reached up to pull at the undergear on his neck nervously, "So- I don't mean to ask so many questions I just want to be sure. How are we going about this? Are we- going slow? I mean, I don't want to go slow slow, but I don't know if it is okay to start where we left off… Is it okay? Or do we go slow? Or completely start over?"

Keith thought about it.

"I don't really know, I think we'll just go what is best for us depending on the situation. I'm just happy to be here with you now, where we are safe and warm," see this was the weird thing. Keith would say things that sound like him, but then right after he would say something he wouldn't normally say. Lance couldn't fully tell if something was up or not!

When Keith gave him a little smile, Lance shifted a little, "Okay…"

They swam around that village for who knows how long before Lance started to get tired. Keith was just buzzing with energy, "Seriously?" he huffs, "Haven't you seen enough of this place yet? I know your conspiracy theorist side of you is probably going nuts or whatever- but we gotta get back to the team,"

"You're exquisite," Keith praised him

Lance almost slammed into the coral, "W-What?" Where in the world did that come from?! Keith seemed to have this habit of randomly complimenting him today.

Lance was really starting to get suspicious of this 180 degree personality change. Not that he doesn't like it, but people just don't change in a hour or two.

Perhaps now that they were out of danger Keith felt he could relax a little, but even that was still just a stretch.

"Hey," Lance stopped him, "Seriously, are you okay?"

"Are you?" Keith giggled.

"That! You don't giggle, Keith! You just- I mean, you can giggle, but only when you are watching those weird Bigfoot videos that you insist are real."

"They are real,"

"Whatever. Just tell me honestly, are you okay? Should we leave or something?"

"No!" Keith grabs his wrist, "I like it here,"

"And that is great, but Keith you are kind of freaking me out." when Keith frowned Lance bit his lower lip.

"Oh…" he lowers his gaze, "I thought you said you liked me, Lance?"

"I-I do!"

"Then what is the problem?" Keith swims a little closer. "Should I stop?"

Lance licked his lips, "I don't know," he admits weakly, "Something just feels weird about this…"

"About us?"

"K-Kind of?" he turns away to hide his blush when Keith bats heavy eyelashes at him.

"Lance."

"What?"

"I meant what I said before," Lance raised his eyebrow, confused, "I think you are beautiful,"

Lance bit on his own tongue and lifted his hands to cover his face, "S-See what I mean! You wouldn't normally say that!"

"But it makes you blush,"  
"That means nothing!"

"Why is it nothing?"

Lance didn't know what to say, he was caught off guard. "You- don't change the topic." he frowned at him

"Was I supposed to? Though the first step for a healthy relationship is to communicate."

"Oh… Well, that is true but-" Shuddering a little when Keith's hand reached up to run over his shoulder he stammered, "B-But something is still weird Keith. You aren't usually like this. You aren't so- I dunno. Eccentric? Outgoing?"

Keith chuckled, low and deep, "Is it bothering you?" with two kicks of his legs he closes the space between them.

Lance gulped, speechless.

"Tell me, Lance. What do you want?"

"I-I-"

" _I~?"_ he hummed

With his heart thundering in his ears, Lance looked away, flustered.

When Keith wrapped his arm around his waist and pulled him a little closer he squeaked in surprise. Leaning into him, Keith spoke into his ear, "Honey, you give new meaning to the definition of 'edible'."

Lance was floating but he could still feel his legs buckle. There it was again… _honey._

They hadn't been one for cute nicknames back when they were first dating and Lance hadn't realized how much he would have loved it if they did.

"Um…" he swallowed thickly, his fingers slowly trailing up to Keith's shoulders. "We should- the others…" he stammered.

"Forget about them for now," Keith instructs, "Just-" Lance gave out breathy voice, as Keith placed his hand behind his hair. Then he tilted his head at an angle and he leaned in. Lance's breathe hitched, startled.

Their lips were only a centimeter apart from each other when he shuddered, "W-Wait-"

Keith pinned Lance on a large rock and kissed him hard. He couldn't fight it. The small touches- the pickup lines- everything had been too much- leading everything to this moment. Could you blame him for melting into it?

It was Keith. His Keith. He could call him _his_ again.

The universe and the others would forgive him for indulging into this small pleasure, right? A kiss wasn't that big of a deal…

"Lance," Keith lifted his hands up to cup his face. These air bubble things were awesome- they never popped no matter what. It made it easier to reach for each other- to brush their lips together…

Sucking in a little breath when Keith bit his lower lip, he faintly noticed a strange taste seeping into his mouth from Keith's lips. Something fruity? Was he wearing lip gloss or something? Not that he was complaining, but that didn't really seem like a Keith thing.

The taste wasn't bad- he was actually starting to like it even as his brain started to feel fuzzy from the kiss- and not in the normal way.

After a few short seconds, too short for any satisfaction, Keith pulled back with an airy gasp. Lance didn't like that- didn't like it ending so quickly.

To stop him, he wrapped his arms around the red paladin's neck, pulling him back into him, surprising both of them with his boldness. He could feel his body was starting to get hot. Too hot.

Lance moaned. When his mouth parted it allowed Keith a chance to expertly slid his tongue in. With a small swirl to the hood of his mouth he had Lance squirming.

He was feeling needy, he needed Keith. He need more than just kisses and small touches. He wanted more.

Exactly how much more though? A simple hug seemed like enough, but at the same time, wouldn't satisfy him at all.

Not even sure where those thoughts were coming from, Lance pulled away for a mere moment to breath heavily. "K-Keith?"

 _ **Hey! Remember that warning thing I mentioned above that hopefully you read (And if you didn't go read it now) well, here it is. Things don't get too bad but just- you know... prepare yourself. It really is just mostly talking... and thinking... But I really don't want to upset anyone so yeah...**_

 _ **Or skip to the next times I give this (WARNING SIGN)**_

Keith's brushed their hips together in a way that had them both gasping. Oh god...

 _Whoa_ … what were they getting themselves into? Why wasn't he stopping this, insisting that they were taking this too fast? His mind wouldn't let him focus enough to get the words out.

Keith kissed his neck, "We should go somewhere private."

Forgetting his own name for a second Lance nodded, both of their breaths shaky, "Okay," he whispers. Did he just agree?! Oh dearest rational side of his brain that never seemed to be around when he needed him most- WHERE ARE YOU?

Why was he agreeing?! Going somewhere _private_ insinuated… activities, between them. Dirty activities that Lance wasn't sure his heart could handle.

"C'mere," Keith lifted Lance into his arms, who found his limbs weren't working like they should anymore. They felt more like jelly at this point, hanging loosely in the water, "I gotcha," He carried Lance bridal style and swam back to the castle. It would almost seem romantic if Lance wasn't this mess of thoughts and… urges.

Something was happening. Or, was something wrong? He couldn't tell, his mind- everything was blurry. And not just his thoughts- the entire village seemed to fade in and out of his vision. He couldn't focus. What was happening to him?

All he could feel was heat. Unbearable heat pooling in his stomach and coming from Keith's fingers as he cradled him.

Keith swam through the halls, trying to find a room and quick.

"Keith," he doesn't understand why he is so breathless. He couldn't stand this heat despite the fact they were surrounded by chilled water. He needed something, like a release. He felt a little better whenever Keith patted his back soothingly, so maybe just some affection would solve this? "Keith, please- Can you just- Can you touch me a little?." Lance whimpered,

 _Can you… touch me a little?_ What. The. Hell?

… Well.

That came out a lot different than he intended. More… sexual, for some unexplainable reason.

"I will." Keith husked and Lance couldn't think anymore.

What did he mean by that? What were they going to go do? Why wasn't Lance stopping this? Holy hell- he couldn't think straight because _nothing_ was straight about this situation.

And he should know because he is now making gay puns! What was that stupid lip gloss Keith had on?!

He then spotted the Queen.

She had this little smirk that didn't sit well with him.

"Queen, may you direct us to our room please?" Keith inquires robotically.

She smiled, a small glint in her eyes, "Why, of course,"

She didn't ask with Keith was just carrying Lance around- maybe it was normal here. Or maybe something wasn't too right about this.

Wasn't like he could do anything about it through his trembling body that wouldn't listen to reason anymore.

"Flarona, I need you to escort our honored guests to their rooms."

Flarona nodded

"Keith…." He pleaded weakly, "Please-" it was too hot. He felt like he was on fire- it was torture. They should leave. They should leave and go back to the lions.

"Shhh it's okay, we're almost there." Keith hushes him gently. That isn't what he meant, but nothing could stop them from swimming towards their shared room.

Cause they were sharing a room.

That was a bad idea just waiting to happen.

When they arrived and closed the door Keith laid Lance on the huge clam like bed, keeping a hand to his chest to stop him from floating upward.

His body was giving into this, but at least rational lance was still conscious enough to have a mental break down and start screaming. Because holy shit, were they doing this?!

Could they even- it was just- they were in the fucking ocean! They were in the ocean! Would this even work?!

Huffing a little, not sure why it was so hard to just breath, Lance watched Keith with half lidded eyes. He was stripping Lance of his armor, sliding it off his wrists and then the chest plate.

"Keith-" whether he tried to stop him or not, Lance could hardly get a word in before Keith's hand were moving experimentally up and down his chest. He groaned at how cold Keith's hands were when they trailed up his neck.

His mental state was cracking. They were doing this…

And in the ocean no less. Nothing more romantic than that… he guessed.

"Lance. _Lance,"_ Keith says lovingly. His hand brushed between Lance's thighs teasingly and he arched his back, calling out weakly.

He was losing this battle. He had to say something soon or else…

Finding the strength for one last attempt to be rational about this he stutters, "Keith, just-," he whimpered when he nibbled at his ear, "Hold on…" there was definitely something not right about this. Despite how much his body screamed to just give in and go with it, something was edging him to stop- to reconsider.

 _ **(WARNING: OVER)**_

 ** _I hope this helped some people. If it didn't and you guys were cool with all of this then- continue on. Sorry to interrupt_. **

Keith hushed him, "Everything is safe and warm here, Lance."

There was that odd phrase again. It was nice the first time but now it was just starting to get weirdly repetitive.

"But-"

Keith kissed him, forcing him to stop talking, "I'll take care of you,"

Lance choked up- he couldn't do this. His body was urging him to just go. Just go and do this because it was Keith- the guy of his dreams. But his mind- his heart- this was all wrong. He didn't want this- No, that was a lie. He did. Just not like this.

With a quiet voice, barely above a whisper, he manages to say, "...You're scaring me,"

Keith froze up, eyes growing wide. He sat up with a start, like Lance had hit him.

Mouth hanging open, he stammers, "W-What?" a small sense of clarity seemed to wash over him for a split second, and he looked around. As if only just realizing where he was, he looked back at Lance. He swallowed heavily, cheeks red and panting.

"Lance-?"

The wall on the other side of the room suddenly ripped itself apart, debris going everything. Both of them yelled in surprise.

Keith was flung back, landing into some sort of side closet and rolling within. Not sure what was happening, three figures emerged from the dust and reached for him. They had a bag in their hands and was tossing it over his head before his drugged out mind could even tilt his head in confusion.

It went dark

" _Where is the other one?!"_ a voice yelled

" _I lost sight of him! Just take the one we have for now- there's no time!"_ Lance felt a tug on the bag and they were moving.

Guess he was going on a little trip…

If rational Lance were here he would probably be freaking out right now- but, he hasn't shown his face all day so he was just going to whistle and enjoy this odd little bag and tag adventure.


	20. Here it is safe and warm part 2

Lance awoke to murmuring voices and something covering his eyes. His body shivered at the idea, "Uh…" unable to really recall how he ended up here, he could remember Keith being the last thing he saw. And felt. And tasted. And uh…

Keith had been looming over him, his hands running across Lance's body and eyes piercing through his soul.

They had been so close to something a lot farther than they had ever done before.

Not that they didn't take off some clothes here and there during their previous relationship, but they had never really gotten to the point of… sex.

There was some shifting to his right and he tensed, the heat he felt from before still coursing through his body.

Wondering if he was still in that mess, Lance squeaked, "K-Keith! Why am I blindfolded!? You know I don't like games!" he bit back his blush.

Something like a kind of gas enveloped him. Coughing violently, he could feel the heat of his body starting to lower, his sensed returning back to normal. He could think again.

"It is okay," a strange voice, gurgling but female, says to him as the blindfold was peeled from his face. It felt like suction cups like- it was a starfish. They had blindfolded him with a starfish. Gross.

"You were drugged but now we want to-" the people in front of him seemed similar to the mermaid folk he had just seen. And if that told him anything after what had almost happened with Keith and him, he couldn't trust them.

"Kill me?!" he demanded, kicking his legs to swim backwards. Hitting the rock wall behind him, he shot forward with his jetpack. The three merfolk tried to stop him, calling to him desperately.

Shooting around them, he found himself in an unfamiliar location. It definitely wasn't the kingdom- and he couldn't find Keith! Where was he?! Everything here was terrifying! Sharp pointed object, weird creatures, odd rooms- but at least there were some really cool jellyfish.

He had always loved those.

Until they started glaring at him and started enlarging at a rate that definitely wasn't what he was used to.

Screaming when they started to move towards him, he could sense the presence of the three merfolk behind him. "Stay back!" he curled into a little ball, wishing Keith was here.

"It is okay!" one says, "We aren't here to hurt you. We… We brought you here to ask for your help." she lowers her arm, "I am Plaxum."

"Blumthump," the male of the three tells him.  
"Swurm," another says.

Lance blinked wildly at them. "Are you.. saying actual names or is this another weird spell thing you are trying to put on me?" he asked suspiciously, slowing uncurling from his protective ball, "Because I will kick you if that is the case."

"No. We believe you are our savior," they bowed their heads to him. Not expecting that, and definitely not considering himself some kind of _savior,_ he backed up a little.

"You think I'm a savior? What do you want with me?" he frowned. Out of everyone on team Voltron, he was probably the last one they should turn to…

Way to think some optimistic thoughts, lance. Could you be any more of a downer to yourself? Even if they are true…

"The Queen is mind-swishing everyone. Controlling their thoughts," Blumthump explained, "We believe you can stop her,"

"You already proved that he mind-swishing doesn't affect you the same way it does other. That is why she had to resort to brain-swishing your companion and having him place a drug within your system," Plaxum adds.

Lance took a few seconds to think about that.

Companion…

"You mean Keith?" he gasped, "She brainwashed him!? Is that-" he trailed off, his heart dropping a little. That is why he was acting that way. He knew it was strange and that Keith would never just say things like that. He never did when they were dating so why would he suddenly say them now?

So then, he hadn't meant any of what he said, did he?

Lance's limbs feel heavy suddenly, a deep frown pulling at his lips. His body sunk downwards with his heart, "Oh…" he says faintly, "He was just brainwashed."

 _You're so beautiful that you give the sun a reason to shine, Lance._

Like Keith would ever say that to him. How could he let himself be fooled like that?! Swept away by sweet words and gentle smiles.

He was such an idiot.

"Are… are you alright?" Plaxum inquired slowly when they noticed how upset he seemed to suddenly get.

"I'm fine…" he straightens, "Just- explain to me how all of this happened,"

* * *

 **0000- Keith-0000**

Keith groggily awoke in a closet when he came to.

Sitting up, he blinked, bleary and disoriented. He wiggled his arms in an attempt to swim, struggling to get much distance with it.

What was he just doing?

His thoughts were all over the place. They were- it was something about the bed, right?

The bed was empty.

No one was there. Lance wasn't there.

Oh yeah, Lance.

He smiles a little, "Lance?" he calls, feeling this little bubble of affection in his belly. "Lance~" he almost sang as he aimlessly floated in the room, twirling and spinning with no true sense of direction. "Where did you go?"

The doors opened and that girl, Flarona, entered with the Queen. They both froze at the sight of the large gaping hole to the side of the room and Keith floating there alone.

Flarona approached him slowly, "Are you alright?" she kept glancing at the hole.

Keith pursed his lips, feeling like himself but also not like himself? Was he drunk? Was this what it was like to be drunk? He couldn't remember how he got there. "I can't find Lance," he sighs sadly. "And there is a hole there. I didn't do it… or maybe I did. I sometimes break things. Hey, where is Lance? Can I see him?"

"There was a break in," the Queen narrowed her eyes. "Those cave dwellers must have taken him,"

Keith blinks once, then twice.

Something about the sentence doesn't feel right.

"Them again?" Flarona inquires. "What should we do?"

"Someone took Lance?" it took his brains a few seconds to catch up. The Queen slowly turns to him. "Who took Lance?"

"...A small group of criminals," The Queens says slowly, her eyes calculating the situation carefully. "Your poor companion, he must be very scared."

" _You're scaring me,"_

Keith felt a jolt run up his spine. That's right! He-He remembered! At least a little. Lance and him had been- oh god, they had been kissing and touching and just- Keith was going to go all the way. They had never gone all the way before but he had wanted to so much yesterday. He wanted Lance's everything. His body, his heart, his soul- he wanted to love Lance with everything he had.

It was the only thought running through his mind for hours.

They had gotten close too… but then something happened. Some break-in? Had people taken Lance?

He could still see the upper part of Lance's paladin gear floating in the corner of the room.

Lance had been so willing but now that he thought about it, he had been kind of strange. It wasn't until Keith had started to reach for the lower parts of his gear that he had whispered to Keith.

He was scared.

Keith had scared him.

Feeling like it was a task to suddenly breath, he put a hand to his chest. What did he do?

"W-Where is Lance?" he demanded frantically, blood pumping through his body like wildfire. He had to get to him. Had to make sure he was okay and safe. Had to apologize for pushing him too far and beg for his forgiveness. Assure him that he was never going to mess up and hurt Lance again because he couldn't let him slip through his fingers a second time- he just couldn't.

"There there, we shall find him," The queen says soothingly. "Here, sit." she motions for him to float to the ground. "You two must be very close," she was talking about Lance. "You care deeply for him, yes?"

Keith couldn't look at her for too long, his mind turning and scanning the room in this mad search. He had to find him. Had to find him. "...Of course I do…" he whispers.

"Those criminals will be back," the queen suddenly says. She catches his interest in a split second, "They must have taken him to get ahold of those machines you came in. I am sure they will attempt to bring him back to collect them,"

Keith's gaze flares. "What do they look like?"

The Queen smirks, "I shall tell you. After all, you wish to save your mate, yes?"

Keith's mind doesn't even register her words fully before he is nodding, his minding falling into this numb embrace.

"I… need to protect Lance…" Keith slurs.

"You shall save him," The Queen purred, "You shall carry him to safety where it is safe and warm. You will have your love back… forever~" she brings him a plate of food, "For now, eat- restore your strength,"

He does so without much thought.

He needed to save Lance

 **0000-Lance-0000**

"Okay, so… you are trying to tell me that the Queen has brainwashed the entire village and no one even realizes it? But for some weird reason it doesn't affect me?" he frowns, "But she seemed all…" he trailed off.

"Safe and warm?" Plaxum guessed. Lance frowns at his feet. Keith had said that one too many times yesterday to be normal.

"What exactly do you remember about yesterday?" Swurm asked as she swam around casually.

"I remember we crashed, saw the mermaid and found the village, then we had dinner and… Uh- Keith took me around the village.."

"And how did Keith act?"

Lance wasn't sure if he could say it without embarrassing himself, "Different," he concludes.

"He wanted you to stay in the village, yes? He tempted you so that you wouldn't leave. So the Queen placed a drug with him since her hypnotism wouldn't work on you."

"Our theory is the Queen controls minds by using her voice to hit certain head switches in your ear pads," Blumthump explains through a very childish drawn diagram.

"Uh…?" He frowns.

Plaxum held up another weirdly drawn picture, "And her magnetic stare locks on to your eye to brain pathway plug."

"Plus," Swurm held up a third one, "Her mind control sonar is always broadcasting through the waters. Boom. Boom. Boom!"

Lance blinks a few times. They all kind of made sense but they also made no sense. "Okay?"

"To make it worse, she trains her people to use hypnotic movements to lull you under her control,"

"...You mean the octopus?" he cringed, "Yeah that thing didn't really- I refused to watch that. And I never really felt anything when the Queen talked but-"

"That is why we need your help! You can go against her!" Plaxum grabs his shoulder and tugs him to this strange clam. Opening it, several small jellyfish came out, surrounding him. Not sure what was happening he was seated against a rock.

They started to wrap his head with seaweed, as if they were measuring the size of his skull, "The entire village is under the Queen's mind control. You were able to escape the Queen's brain-swishing for now, but that doesn't guarantee it will last. So you shall do what we do. They only reason we are able to avoid the mind control is because we wear these Jellyfish that hide our brain from her powers. It is like we have no brains what so ever! You can't control what doesn't exist."

Lance was struggling to follow most of this and nodded, "Right… of course," he tries to be encouraging here.

"Our heads are completely empty!"

"I get it," Lance inched away from him.

Swurm tightened the seaweed around his skull, "Many years ago the Queen froze over the surface by blocking the thermal vents. She forced everyone to the depths where she began to brainwash them. They became her prisoners."

"What's the point?' Lance questioned as Swurm called his head size over to Plaxum, "Why control the mermaids?"

"To kill them!" Blumthump explained.

Lance jumped, startled, "What?!"

"Well…" he stepped back, "Actually, we don't know that for sure but dozens of mermaids have disappeared and never come back,"

"Then- what is she going to do to Keith?!" he demanded.

"Most likely the same thing." Plaxum sighs, approaching him with a jellyfish.

"We've tried to take out the Queen multiple times but failed each time, depleting our numbers to three. Without you, there is no hope."

"What do you want from me?" he questions.

"We saw that mer-cat! With your ability to go against her mind-swishing and that great beast we feel that you will be able to go against her forces. But to be safe, we shall give you one of these." he motioned to the jellyfish.

Plaxum brought it towards him, "Now, it stings pretty bad and don't smell great…" she warns as she lifts it over his skull, "Also, they can sometimes make your face swell, and you might experience hearing loss."

Hating this more and more with every second, he frowned. He had to get to Keith though, before that crazy Queen did something to him, "Would you just put it on already?"

She flinched and lowered it.

He screamed as he latched on to his head. "It burns!" he yelped as a sharp stinging coursed through his face.

"That means it's working!" they insist.

Taking a few seconds to adjust. Grunting a few times, he sat up. The faster they took out the Queen the faster he could get to Keith, "What's the plan?" he grumbled.

The explained it as fast as they could. It was rather simple, pretend to be brainwashed, get past the guards to his lion, get in said lion, then grab the Queen and save the day.

Simple.

No simple plans ever turned out well.

But, he had nothing else to go with.

"Here," they handed him a puffer fish. "If things go wrong with the guards, this has three doses of antidote to take them out long enough for you to get to your mer-cat,"

He took it hesitantly. How was he going to pull this off? He thought his acting was pretty okay, but as proven by multiple people since joining Voltron, it was easy to see through his mask if you really tried.

So, he grits his teeth and tried his best, following these three strange merpeople back to the castle. When they got close enough, they hid behind a few rocks.

"Where will you guys be?" He asked them.  
"Close," they assure him, "Now go," shoving him forward, he swam slowly to the guards. They turned to him and lifted their spears.

"...Hey~" he slurred awkwardly, "Isn't it nice to be safe and warm? Gotta love it here. I never want to leave. Am I right?"

Yeah, it didn't work.

If it wasn't obvious to how silly this plan was.

So no one is surprised that he was dragged back to the Queen and thrown in front of her. Honestly, if he wasn't able to be brainwashed before, why would he suddenly be now?

"Lance," the Queen greeted him with a poker face.

"Queen Luxia," he says stiffly, "Where is Keith?" he growled.

"Ah, your companion? Or should I call him your mate?"

"..." Lance pursed his lips, struggling not to blush, "Just call him Keith," he muttered, "And don't avoid the question! Where is he?"

"He is safe and warm,"

"That doesn't- that makes me very concerned," Lance admits

"He shall join you soon. Guards, take Lance to the Baku garden," the Queen was quick to be done with this, motioning for them to take him away. Lance was quick to react when they reached for him and used his jetpack to shoot himself forward.

The Queen rose, "Capture him!"

Several merfolk began to file out from the halls, swimming towards him. Struggling to navigate through the water he threw himself out of the royal hall and out a window. He had to get to Blue.

Of course, they had to put guards there too…

Many guards.

They surrounded him, lifting their spears. He was tempted to reach into his bag to pull out that puffer fish, but with only three dosages, he wouldn't have enough to take out all 20 of these guys!

"Great…!" he clicked his teeth angrily, lifting his hand to catch a spear from smacking down on his head. Pressing his feet to the guy's chest he kicked him back, yanking away the weapon to slam it into the head of the guard approaching him from behind.

"Lance!" there was a voice from above and Plaxum appeared, throwing starfish. He hadn't thought they would be effective, but with the force she threw them they shot through the water like throwing stars, knocking the guards off balance.

The cavalry had arrived, speeding towards him armed with starfish and pufferfish. It was the strangest battle ever.

"Lance, are you alright?" Plaxum inquired as she swam next to him, ducking a few times when Swurm and Blumthump shot over their heads.

"Yeah- sorry about this," Lance tells her.

"No, it is our fault for not considering the Queen being suspicious of you suddenly getting mindswished," she tells him, "Come, we must get you to your mer-cat,"

"Thanks, guys-" A flash of red, and then a scream.

Swurm was spiraling to the side after something rammed painfully into her. The assaulter took no time to turn, slamming his fist into Blumthump and charging at Plaxum.

He recognized the mullet and red paladin gear anywhere.

Lance gasped, "Keith!?"

With a cold and dead looking gaze, Keith pulled out his bayard and pointed it to his allies. Lance was in a panic. What was happening!? "KEITH!? Keith what are you doing!?" he demanded.

"Protect…" he says in a lifeless voice, "Protect Lance,"

"What are you talking about? Keith no-!" Lance made a grab for Keith's feet when he attempted to shoot towards Plaxum and swing his sword. "Stop it, Keith!" he wouldn't listen, his strength overpowering Lance's easily. "Get out of here, Plaxum!" Lance called the warning to her desperately.

She turned and fled, barely avoiding a swing of Keith's bayard.

"Keith!" he tried again. The red paladin's gaze snapped to his- glazed over and violent. Lance panicked when he reached for him, expecting Keith to strike out.

Instead, gentle fingers grazed his cheek, cupping it affectionately. "Lance," he says, wrapping his other arm around Lance's waist and pulling him close. Holding him there, Keith lowered his byard and wrapped both of his arms around Lance's frame, pressing him close.

"...H-Huh?" Lance was utterly confused.

"I'll protect you, Lance. Keep you safe and warm," Keith says to him, lifting his head to glare at anything who dare approach.

Oh.

Oh no.

He was still brainwashed! Dang it!

"Keith no-" Lance tries to pull away from him, but his grip his tight. "This isn't you right now. You gotta listen to me- you are brainwashed. We need to get to our lions- Keith! Let go!" Lance wasn't gaining any ground with this and was starting to hit Keith's face and shoulders.

Keith stares at him dully, Lance's words not fully reaching his ears.

"I got you, Lance!" Swurm shot past them. She was on the back of some large Sting Ray thing and had grabbed his arm. With enough force, she tugged him from Keith's arms.

"Sorry, Keith! Don't take this the wrong way!" Lance called to him over his shoulder. Keith was already swimming after them, yelling.

"We have to get you to your mercat before the Queen or your mate kills us," Swurm grunted.

"He's not really- I mean, he kind of… we don't really call each other _mates_ in my world," Lance says through gritted teeth, his cheeks red. "He is more of my boyfriend,"

"...He is clearly more than just some _friend_ to you," She points out dryly.

"W-Well yeah but-"

"A topic for later. There is your mercat!" she pointed ahead.

A guard decided just then to ram into their stingray.

Shoved off, Lance spun into the nearest wall. When his back hit it, it put him in a daze. He was barely able to focus on the fight before him. Guards were being hit down one by one, his new friends were desperately trying to hold their own- and Keith was going on a rampage.

He was on neither side, his mind set on locating Lance.

...Wait…

Perhaps he could use this?

"Keith. Keith!" Lance called to him like one would call to a puppy. Sometimes you needed to repeat yourself to catch its attention. When he finally did, he held his arms out, "Keith," he smiles brightly, "C'mere."

Keith's eyes widened and he motioned to himself. Like a " _You mean me?"_ motion.

"Yup, I mean you. I want to hug you because you're cute," Lance cooes in his baby talk. This was so embarrassing, even if he did fully mean it when he called Keith cute- because look at him. Look at that earnest way Keith stares at him.

But they were in the middle of a fight for Pete's sake….

However, the bait seemed to be working and Keith was slowly swimming to him with a wide and child like state. Almost in awe, he started to lift his arms in this adorable fashion. Was it weird that Lance found this cute?

He was totally like a little lovesick puppy right now~!

Swimming into his arms, Keith nuzzled into his shoulder. "Lance," he says. "I missed you,"

Lance was not allowing himself to swoon right now- especially knowing Keith might not actually mean any of this and was currently under some serious mind control right now. So, instead, he plays along and nods knowingly, "I know, me too," It was honestly the truth. When he started to reach into the bag strapped around his waist to pull out the puffer fish, Keith's gaze locked with his.

Lance's hand froze.

Keith was starting to slowly frown, growing suspicious. Lance had to do something and fast.

"Kiss me," he says.

Keith wasn't expecting that, "Huh?"

"I want you to… Kiss me," he repeats with a red face. "Kiss me so I'm… safe and warm,"

Keith doesn't hesitate to reach up and cup the back of his head. "I'll kiss you," he assures him quietly, leaning forward. Lance closes his eyes as they press their lips together.

Lance shivered when Keith groaned and pressed a little deeper into Lance. God...

Waiting a few seconds, making sure to suckle on Keith's bottom lip as long as possible, he lifted his hand. Bringing the pufferfish close to their faces, he bit on Keith's lip, unable to stop himself from doing so before he squeezed and released the antidote.

Keith choked out a whine just as the antidote covered their faces.

Holding the kiss the entire time, Lance sighed in relief when it disbanded and Keith's grip loosened.

As they slowly pulled away, Keith's eyes fluttered open, locking with his in a haze. Blinking once, a realization occurred to him and his eyes locked in on the glistening trail of saliva connecting their lips.

His cheeks filled with color and he pulled away, "W-What the hell?" he stammered wildly, "Lance?!"

"Hey…" Lance released the puffer fish, letting it slowly drift away from them.

"What is going on?! You just- we were-" he motioned between them. How were you supposed to explain to someone the reason you were making out with them without sounding weird?

Lance settled with simply hugging Keith, "Your back," he says in relief. Keith is tense, slowly bring his hands down to hug him back.

"...Did I go somewhere?"

"More or less."

Keith opened his mouth then winced, "Ow…" he lifted his hand to his lips, "Did… you bite me?" He demanded incredulously, feeling the bite along his lower lip.

"What? Me? No, never~" Lance insists innocently, trying his best not to laugh. He pulled away, giving Keith's cheek a little peck, "You were brainwashed but I got you back and now we are under attack and gotta get the Queen because she caused this,"

"..." Keith slowly closed his mouth, "Uh- is that a jellyfish on your head-?"

"Just try to keep up," Lance pulled away and shot forward towards a guard, "For now, we gotta get to our lions! Hopefully, yours is back online by now!"

Keith was quick to follow, his instincts leading him through this enough to focus on the battle and do as Lance says.

"Who are these guys?" he pointed to the other people wearing jellyfish.

"Allies!" Lance kicked one of the guards. Keith rammed into the other and they spotted Plaxum. She started to approach but froze at the sight of Keith.

Lance held up his hands, "It's cool! I got him the antidote!" he calls to her.

"Oh.. Good. Quickly, to your mer-cats!" she exclaims. "We must get to the Queen!"

Swimming up to his Lion, Lance shot into the entrance, sighing in relief when he was able to sit down. "Alright Blue, let's do this," he grabbed the controls. "Keith? How is Red?"

"Not great," Keith admits, "My lions isn't handling this water too well,"

"Can you get it to move?"

"No."

"Quick, get over here to mine!" Lance called to him. Keith took only a few seconds to swim over, stepping up behind Lance.

"So what is the plan again?"

'Grab the Queen. Plaxum, you ready?" Lance opened the mouth of blue and Plaxum swam into it.

"Ready!" she calls, holding on tight as they shot through the water.

"Just- grab the Queen?' Keith questioned.

"Well I mean- I don't know the full plan-"

"We will grab the Queen, take her out of the village to a prison made of ice and jellyfish where she will no longer be able to brainwash people!" Plaxum explained.

"...Yeah, that,' Lance nods.

"Sounds sketchy," Keith squints his eyes at him.

"You sound sketchy," Lance pouts at him. "So I don't want to hear anything from you since you've been super weird the last 24 hours- oh, there she is!" he yells. Plaxum was quick to react and fired a few pufferfish out at the Queen and her guards.

They coughed within the antidote, giving them all just enough time to fly in and grab her.

"Got her!" Plaxum called and they turned Blue around to head out of the village.

Below, he could hear the Queen coughing, "W-What?" she stammered. "Where am I? What is going on?"

" _What's going on-_ is that you aren't mind controlling these people anymore, _you Majesty,"_ Plaxum growled at her.

The Queen took a few seconds to stare at her surrounding, "Mind controlling? Me?" there was a pause, "Wait… no! My people are in danger! You must go back."

Lance was hesitant with her tone and glanced back at Keith, "What is going on?" he demanded.

"She's trying to trick us," Plaxum insisted.

"Are you sure?" Keith frowned.

"That is how her game works! She tricks you with her voice!"

"Plaxum…" Lance tried to reason with her, "Something doesn't feel right about this."

"I'm not mind controlling anyone! It's... " The Queen gasped, "The Baku garden."

"She's lying!"

"I'm not! Listen to me, that organism fell into the garden from space. I went to it to investigate it…"

"Mind-swishing." Lance says in realization, "The Queen was the first one to get hypnotized!"

"But why?" Plaxum questions.

"The Baku has been harvesting us." The Queen says quickly, "We are its food source!"

At her words, Keith and Lance looked back at the Baku just in time to see it starting to shift. With them taking the Queen, it must have realized there was no use hiding anymore and had decided to reveal itself.

It rose, roaring at them.

Like some fuzzy underwater serpent, it shot towards them.

"You two get somewhere safe, fast!" Lance opened the Lion again and allowed Plaxum and the Queen to swim out to the safety of the village below. "Alright Keith, change of plan. The Queen is actually good and this thing is bad- let's take it out."

"Agreed," Keith narrowed its eyes, "Let's get it out of the village first."

"Good idea." Lance made a few motions to this beast, "Come on big fella! Follow the pretty kitty!" the taunting worked, and the serpent followed.

They took the serpent as far as they could from the village before it rammed into them. Lance was quick to catch them and shot around boulders and large walls. His Lion was fast… faster than usual.

"Was your Lion always this fast?" Keith questions him.

"No… I dunno what this is but being in the water is completely different." He grins, twirling his Lion away from the serpent to fire at it. The beam froze it for about three seconds before it broke free.

"Freezing it isn't going to work," Keith says, "Trying getting it caught in the rocks,"

"Gotcha," Lance aimed for them, squeeze through a tight spot and turning back to see if the serpent would follow. When it tried and got stuck, Lance cheered, "Ahah, now the hunter becomes the-" he screamed when he broke free, "It got free! It got free!"

"Move it!" Keith tells him, "Nose dive!"

"Don't back lion drive!" Lance snapped at him in his panic.

Cornered between a few walls, Lance stared up at the serpent in terror. "Uh…."

"Lance!" Keith yelled at him to do something.

Through their panic, a screen appeared before Lance. Not sure what it was, Lance didn't hesitate to click it. A new weapon, something he had never seen before, appeared on the back of his Lion.

"...Just like mine." Keith says in surprise.

Lance smirked, "We'll let's try it," throwing his controls forward, he fired. Unlike a gun, like Keith's, Lance's was more of a very powerful sonar. It was enough to disrupt everything around them, causing the serpent and rock structure to collapse. "Sonic boom!" Lance cheered, quick to avoid the falling rocks and get out the area.

"Good job, lance!" Keith gripped his shoulders, shaking him a little. Grinning at each other, they quickly returned to the village.

When they arrived, the Queen swam up to them, "Is it gone?"

"Yeah- we took it out," Lance gave him a thumbs up. "It won't be brainwashing anyone else."

"Oh thank goodness."

"Then- my theories?" Bumpthump frowned.

"It wasn't the Queen, her voice, or the dancing- it was the food," Lance tells him.

"Well- you said you had dinner and you still hadn't been brainwashed. Science isn't always about getting the right answer when there are so many different conclusions to a test." Blumpthump shrugged.

"I wonder why the food didn't work on me?" Lance inquired. "I ate just as much as Keith,"

"Perhaps it was your biochemistry? Of taste buds? Or your brain? The possibilities could be endless," Plaxum tells him.

"Doesn't really matter, it is a good thing it didn't affect you," Keith says, "Who knows where we would be."

"Indeed. We owe you our lives, Lance." The queen thanks him. "With both of your help, you freed my people. I will do all that I can to protect that freedom," she vowed. "I will be the voice of my people- I beg you for your help. Will you be my advisors?" she inquires to Squrm, Plaxum, and Blumthump.

"Of course, your highness," they say. "We have many ideas."

"And I want to thank you, Lance," she approaches him. "If your mate would not mind, I will bestow this upon you," she kissed Lance's helmet as if she intended to give him a kiss of gratitude. Lance cringed at the sight, rubbing it off with his hand.

"...Kind of mind," Keith frowns, folding his arms.

"Don't," Lance insists, "I basically just got kissed by a jellyfish,"

Ignoring them, Plaxum removed her jelly fish, "Finally I can take this off," she was beautiful.

Lance's jaw dropped in awe and Keith flared."I definitely mind!" he snaps at her.

"I definitely mind!" he snaps at her.

Lance couldn't say anything for a few seconds but eventually wrapped his arm around Keith's and laughed. "Jealous~"

"Shut up."

"Jealous Keith~" Keith's head suddenly bonked his like a headbutt. They both yelled at the pain it brought. "Why?" Lance demanded.

Keith grunted, "Didn't work... The way I wanted."

"Wait- you were just trying to kiss me through our helmets?" Lance demanded at him.

"Shut up!" he yelled through red cheeks.

Plaxum chuckled at them, "You two fit each other well," she tells them.

Pausing, appreciating that, Lance smiled a little. "Oh but um… Your highness- the whole reason we came here in the first place was to see if you could help us find our friends. We need to get in contact with them as soon as possible," Lance tells her.

"Of course," she smiles, leading them down the hall. As they followed the Queen they both placed on another bubble of air around themselves and took off their helmets, glad to have some resting time.

"Perhaps it is time we start rebuilding our civilization and reach out to interstellar travelers once again," A large clam was pulled to the center of the room then opened. Some strange device sat within, "Activate energy beacon," she says over her shoulder. A second later, the crystal in the center of the clam began to glow and a beacon was shot into the air.

"The beacon is being sent. Now we wait." the Queen announced.

And wait they did.

They didn't expect it to reach the castle immediately, but Lance knew that as soon as it did, it wouldn't take them long to wormhole their way over to them. So, he was content with sitting towards the side of the room and taking a breather.

They had gone straight from Zarkon's fight to getting drugged and hypnotized, to fighting a village to fighting a monster… he was very tired.

Keith looked just as worn down at he did when he swam towards him. Floating next to him, Keith gave him a wary glance, "Are you… okay?" he asked.

"Fine." he nods, "You okay?"

"No."

Lance tensed, turning to him, "Were you hurt?" he reaches for him. Keith catches his hand, his gaze set.

"What did I do?" he demands weakly. Lance wasn't following. "Did I-" Keith chokes a little, turning away to bit his lip, shifting his gaze. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"What are you talking about? You attacked everything but me when you were brainwashed. You were super protective," Lance says with a forced chuckle. Keith doesn't look relieved.

"I'm not talking about-" he cuts himself off, closing his eyes, "I mean from before. Before you were taken by the guys wearing the jellyfish."

Lance feels heat creeping up his neck, "Oh… that," he clears his throat. "You didn't hurt me,"

Keith shakes a little, "But I remember- you said you were scared," he insists. "I was scaring you,"

Lance can't look at him for a while, "You- Yeah okay, you were a little. But that wasn't your fault, Keith. You weren't in the right state of mind and I was drugged out. We didn't do anything other than kiss and touch a little."

"But your armor-" Keith looks like a kicked puppy and Lance just can't handle that.

"You took off my chest plate and armor on my arms, that is all. I still had the paladin undergear," he assures him, motioning to himself. "You didn't do anything, Keith… You stopped before you did." he takes Keith's hand and squeezes, "You heard me and stopped."

Keith takes a few heavy gulps, "I did?" he whispered. Lance nods as he leans forward.

"You didn't hurt me," he placed a small and delicate kiss on Keith's lip. He quickly responded, cupping the back of Lance's head.

When they pulled away, Lance bit his lip nervously, "Honestly, this is probably the best time to ask this, especially since you are no longer being brainwashed but… What are we, Keith?" He braces himself.

"What are we?" Keith repeats slowly, "I thought- well um… I guess we're dating again," he says hesitantly, shifting his gaze to Lance to see if he agreed.

Lance nodded, "Okay. Okay good. So then- where do we take this from here?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, we're dating again. So, where does that put us? Do we start over completely and go slow, or go from where we left off… something in the middle? Because- I don't want to start over completely Keith. I was fine with going slow the first time, but I don't want to do that again. But I also don't want to just continue where we left off like nothing happened,"

Keith listens quietly, nodding from time to time, "I agree… I agree completely. So we should- do something in between those two options. We don't start at the beginning, but I don't want to rush this too much either. We should… take it at whatever pace that presents itself. If we start going too fast, we say something."

Lance likes that plan and snuggles into Keith's chest, relieved and happy that this turned out okay in the end. Nothing had been ruined or lost because of the brainwashing or drug.

"So… maybe following a mermaid wasn't the best idea," he concluded.

"When is anything we decide a completely good idea?" Keith snorts. Lance can't help but laugh.

"Isn't that the truth?" he cackles. "There is always a catch to everything we do."

"Everything," Keith stresses the word. "We'll never catch a break."

"I dunno," Lance adjusts himself a bit, pressing a little closer to Keith, "I'm liking this little break,"

Keith kisses the top of his head. To think, just a week ago they could barely look each other in the eyes. A few months ago they were shattered from heartbreak.

Now they were snuggling and spooning like they belonged like this.

"Lance…?" Keith's hand slinks its way into his own,  
"Yeah?"

"I meant them…"

Lance was puzzled and glanced up at him, "What?"

Keith doesn't reply for a long time, refusing to look at him. Looking like he was having some internal war with himself, he turned to Lance suddenly, blushing. Lance wasn't sure what he was expecting, but it definitely wasn't what came next, "Your eyes are the most beautiful color I've ever seen. I get lost in your them all the time."

Lance choked and sat up to cough, "Excuse me?"

Keith didn't let him go far before he gripped Lance's shoulder and held him there. The motion caused both of them to freeze, eyes wide and unable to look away. "...I-I want to call you mine- even in front of the others. My boyfriend… my Lance…"

Lance had never in his entire life had his face turn to the shade of red so fast as those three lines, "Wha-"

Keith held up his hand to stop him. He looked ready to turn and flee, but his cracking determination managed to ground him enough to keep talking, refusing to let Lance get in a word before he was done, "Just listen… okay? I gotta say this now and I know I don't usually do this but I should have before. Let me tell you this…" Waiting a few seconds, he took a deep breath when Lance nodded numbly,

"I don't know how you are even real or how you have possibly forgiven me. You are too good Lance- too kind. Too amazing. You're…" he licked his lips, "Exquisite. I could stare at you forever. I-I never get tired of seeing you smile." his voice was getting hit pitched from the lack of air he was taking within the rant. Barely able to suck in a tiny inhale, Keith finishes with, "You're so beautiful that you give the sun a reason to shine, Lance." He was done.

The silence that fell between them was killing his heart.

And not in a bad way- if that made sense. Lance could hardly believe his ears. So Keith remembered- at least a little.

Slowly lifting his palm, Lance covered his mouth and closed his eyes. He had meant them… "You never…" he choked out, "You never said any of those things before,"

"I'm not making the same mistake twice." Keith says slowly, his hand reaching up to brush at Lance's cheek, "I lost you once and regretted everything I never got to tell you. I'm going to make sure you hear them now… If that is okay," he falters a little, his face as red as Lance's.

"Of course it's okay," Lance laughs so hard that he starts crying, "It's wonderful, Keith," reaching forward, he kisses him. "You romantic mullet,"

Leaning back, Lance leans into Keith, hugging his arm. His chest felt open and bubbly enough to make him grin ear to ear. He loved him. He loved him so much.

"So- does this mean you'll be flirty like this all the time?" Lance asked cautiously, not sure if his heart could handle that.

"Don't get too used to it," Keith tells him quickly, "But… I'll try my best,"

"That is enough for me,"

Keith hums a little, "So, just to understand everything fully. The nicknames… You liked it when I called you honey… right? It was hard to tell through the brainwashing."

"I liked it," Lance admits quietly, "A lot more than I thought I would..."

"Honey," Keith tests it.

Lance sucked in a tiny breath, hesitantly replying, "Y-Yes?"

He is grinning, "Honey," he says again.

"If you aren't going to say anything else don't say it," Lance shoves his face away a little, hoping to hide his own flaming cheeks.

Keith laughs, open and full, quickly nuzzling back into Lance. "Honey~"

"Stop."

"Honey,"

"Keith!" Lance started laughing, smacking his shoulders, "Knock it off,"

"You love it,"

"Shut up," he tried to get away but Keith's arms were too strong and swiftly tickled his sides. Bursting into a fit of giggles, the two spun in the water for a few seconds, getting a few odd if not amused stares from the guards. "People are staring," Lance snickered, pulling them both back to the ground, "Behave,"

"Okay, honey,"

"I will punch you," Lance threatened with a smile, no true bite to his words.

"Noted, honey,"

"I've created a monster," Lance sighs, each use of the word sending a pleased chill down his spine. Keith was going to hold this over him forever now, wasn't he?

"You have," sitting back, Keith relaxed and held Lance close to him. The two paladins sat there for a long time, watching the beacon idly.

After some time, Lance dared a glance at his boyfriend, "Oh, hey Keith?"

"Hmm?" nuzzling into Lance's hair, Keith smiles down at him.

"What was it you wanted to tell me earlier?" when he frowned, Lance explains, "Before we went to fight Zarkon you said that you had something you wanted to tell me. What was it?"

The red in Keith's cheek spread through his face like a plague and he sat up, "O-Oh um- t-that was-" he stammers. "I-I wanted to tell you that I- um…" he clears his throat and tries to calm himself. "T-That you- I…" he takes in a few breaths, "Give me a moment, this is important."  
Lance wasn't sure he understood, "Okay yeah, take your time," he nods. Not sure what this could be about he waits patiently for Keith to collect his thoughts.

"I want to tell you that I um…" with this set look Keith takes grabs both of Lance's hands, holding them close, "Lance Mcclain,"

Lance shivers a little at the use of his full name and he feels a warmth bubbling from his stomach. W-What was this? What was he going to tell him? "Y-yeah?"

Keith seems to be preparing himself for some big finale, his gaze narrowed and determined. It's like he got some big speech planned, and with that look, he might just. "I wanted to tell you that you have always meant a lot to me, Lance. You've seen me for who I am and even though you've seen my worse side, you've forgiven me. You brought me more joy than I could ever deserve."

"...Dude, what is this?" Lance says quietly his voice sounding like it was caught in a daze- which is totally was. Keith's eyes were so warm, filling with this unwavering affection.

"It is something I should have told you a year ago. Lance, I wanted to tell you that I have always, and I will always lo-"

An alarm started to sound in the room and Lance didn't hear the rest of his sentence.

"What?" he mumbled, "What did you say?"

"..." Keith slowly turned to look at the screen. If looks could kill, everyone in this room would have been murdered by now.

The Queen didn't seem like she had been paying attention to anything they had been doing and turned to them with a smile, "There is a mer-cat in our system that seems to be heading our way."

Pidge's lion appeared on the screen a second later and Lance cheered, "It's the green lion!"

"..." Keith was still pouting, face contorted into frustrated rage.

Not sure what he was so upset about, Lance patted his back, "Come on Keith! Be happy! We found the others."

"Yeah…"

"Oh, but what were you going to say?"

Keith looked away, "N-Nothing." The mood was lost… "I'll tell you back at the castle," he promises.

Lance blinked once then shrugged, "Okay?"


	21. Mothman (Filler chapter)

**WARNING: THIS IS A FILLER CHAPTER!  
**

 **THIS TAKES PLACE A FEW MONTHS BEFORE SHIRO DISSAPPEARED BACK AT GARRISON! This is how they were before! Kill me now because this chapter was so cute to write!**

 **Also- people wanted to know who Jake was when Keith mentioned him XD**

* * *

Lance glanced at his watch when he left his dorm. It was pretty early, the sun barely peeking through the windows, but it was time for Keith and his meet up. They never had much time to interact during their classes. The only class he had with Keith was AP English, which was their first class they take every morning. Lance never understood why he needed to take classes if he was trying to go out into space- but whatever.

The stress of essays and assignments in that class never gave them much time either… though that didn't stop Lance brush brushing his foot to Keith's heel every once and awhile.

Or reach out like he was yawning, twirling a strand of Keith's hair as he brought his arms back down. Or wink at him when he would glance at him...

Yeah- Lance needs to focus more in that class. It's probably why he is failing. But can you blame him for wanting to show Keith as much affection as he could?

The worst part was that they didn't have the same lunch shift during most of the week. So yes the only time they could see each other was early in the morning and after school ends, which was around 6 pm. It was hell.

All in all, it was very hard to put time into their relationship sometimes.

Lance refused to let that bring him down though, happy to squeeze in whatever time he could to see his boyfriend.

Skipping down the hall to meet him, like he usually does in the morning after he finishes his morning skin routines, Lance's chest felt open. Keith was only a few rooms down the hall and he couldn't wait to tell Keith about the new cafe that opened up in town. They should go this weekend!

Grinning, Lance stopped when he got to Keith's door just as it flew open. Jack, Keith's room mate, was walking towards his way. When they were foot apart from each other, Jake gave him a horrid stink eye.

"...Hey, Jake," Lance says slowly, "Bad morning?"

"Bad room mate- he kept me up all night with his stupid theories!" Jake points a finger at him. "Your boyfriend needs to learn how to chill or get a hobby- join a club for all I care!" he pauses, "Oh... The password for the door is 12345678's... I think..." Jack left, his body swaying from exhaustion.

Lance raised his eyebrow in confusion, "Okay?" he made his way to Keith's dorm and knocked on the metal door gentle. "Keith, are you there?"

No answer.

"Keith?" he tries again. When silence follows he taps rapidly with his finger nails, "Keithhhhhhh," he whined pitifully, "Babe, I want to see you~" it wasn't often that he used any pet name- and he was ready to take it back, but Keith had slammed into the door.

Not even a split second later he could hear Keith from the other side, "S-Say the password, Lance. I gotta follow the rules."

"What are you talking about? Who's rules?"

"My rules."

"Since when do you have rules for your dorm?"

"The password," he stresses quietly.

Lance sighed, he inputs the number Jack had told him.

"No, but close."

"But that is what Jake told me," Lance whined. Thinking over the words again, he bit his lip. "Um… 12334- Oh wait." This was a password that Keith made up- he had to think like Keith. Oohh. "Jake meant One number two, three number four's- 2444666668888888," he tried. Lance cheered when the door opened, throwing his arms over his boyfriend the second he came into view. "Hey,"

"Hey," Keith nuzzled into his shoulder.

"What is with the weird password stuff? You starting some secret club or something- UGH!" he pulled back when he came into view of Keith's disoriented and messy face. Keith had bloodshot eyes. His body jittery. He looks like a crazy person basically. "You look horrible," he notes. "Are you on drugs?"

Keith frowns a little, and folds his arms. "No,"

"...You sure?"

The room was just as messy as Keith's appearance. The dozen of empty cups of coffee scattered all over the floor, papers and magazines tossed and turned- a strange bulletin board covered Keith's walls with multiple strings leading from left to right- oh no…

"Keith… " Lance frowns, "If this is about what I think it is-"

"Lance, listen to me, I finally figured it!" Keith took his boyfriend's hand and pulled him in, facing him towards his board of conspiracy theories- all of the supernatural creatures. Keith was staring at him with a crazy look, holding another cup of coffee in his hand.

"How many of those have you had?" Lance motioned to the coffee.

"I stopped counting after 8,"

"Keith-"

"I can finally find Mothman!"

"Keith, you need some help."

"No, I don't, Lance!"

"Yeah alright," Lance sighs. Lifting his hand to Keith's ear, he gripped it and gave it a tug. Ignoring how Keith growled in pain, he dragged him to the bathroom. "Come on, let's get you ready for school- cause that is in an hour. Remember school? The thing that is real and you need to go to?"

"Lance, no wait! I'm so close to finishing the coordinates to where Mothman might be!"

"Keith what you need to worry about right now is graduating from Galaxy Garrison." Lance handing Keith his toothbrush with toothpaste on it. "Then you can go on your conspiracy hunts all you want. I adore this by the way," he paused in his rant to point out Keith's Super Man toothbrush… and his Bat Man toothpaste. And his Flash mouthwash- How big of a nerd was his boyfriend? "And these," he motions down to his transformer pajamas.

"Don't judge," Keith stuffs the toothbrush in his mouth, scrubbing roughly.

"I'm not. It's cute,"

"I feel like you are judging,"

"I'm swooning over how precious my boyfriend is~" Lance grabbed a brush off the sink and stepped behind Keith, smoothing out his hair for him. "Look at this mess- is this a cheeto?!" he pulled it out in disgust, "Keith, this is so gross," he gave the brush a rough tug.

"Owowow that hurts!" he yelled.

"That's what you get for not washing your hair properly! Hold still-" forcing Keith to sit down, he gripped the bottom of the raven locks to try and make the process less painful. Silence enveloped them, leaving only the slight swoosh from Keith's toothbrush or Lance's comb.

Pausing, Lance allowed Keith to lean forward and spit into the sink. Cleaning off his brush, he leaned back into Lance, closing his eyes. Having run the brush through Keith's hair enough, the motion had grown smooth- relaxing. Keith hummed in appreciation to Lance massaging the back of his neck.

"Did you get any sleep last night?" Lance inquires.

"I lost track of time."

Despite the roll of his eyes, there was a swell of affection blooming in his chest, "You're unbelievable," he kissed Keith's cheek, "What am I going to do with you?"

"You could always kiss me again," Keith suggests, a slight pucker to his lips.

"Oh yeah- I could. I totally could," Lance grinned. When he didn't, Keith frowned.

"You aren't kissing me," he points out.

Lance grins giddily, "Ooh, I didn't realize you meant you that as in you actually wanted one," he teased.

"Lance," Keith drawled out, smiling but growing impatient.

"Okay okay…" Lance kissed his other cheek. The face Keith made was well worth the taunt.

"That is not what I meant,"

Lance had to turn away to laugh, clutching his stomach, "The look of utter betrayal on your face!"

His boyfriend made a grab at him, and despite Lance's best effort to try and get away, the strong arms slinking around his waist were persistent. "I did feel betrayed- my boyfriend won't kiss me." the playful smirk on Keith's lips sent shivers down Lance's spin.

"Well, my boyfriend won't go to bed at proper times at the night and has cheetos in his hair. Were you saving those for later?" they hug and stumble around the bathroom, bumping into walls and snickering.

"I would have given it to a bird- treated it to a nice lunch,"

"Still gross," Lance kisses his cheek again.

"Oh my god- Lance, I swear to god if you don't actually kiss me I am going to hide away all your skin care products,"

'You wouldn't dare touch my babies," Lance gasped dramatically.

"Try me,"

Lance smushed Keith's face between his palm, "Pucker up buttercup,"

"Don't say that-" silenced by Lance's mouth on his own, Keith melted into the kiss. Holding it for a few seconds, they pulled away with little sighs.

"Always nice to kiss someone right after they've brushed their teeth," Lance smiles. "Oh- and guess what?"

"What?"

"I learned something today," Lance leaned forward, his lips brushing Keith's ear.

Struggling to hide the warmth crawling up his neck, he stammered, "O-Oh yeah? What's that?"

"My Boyfriend~" he husked out, "... Is a nerd~" he turned and fled. Leaping over the pile of trash, the sound of crashing feet and Keith yelling his name furiously followed right on his trail.

He loved his nerdy boyfriend.

* * *

 **000-000**

Jack was a question mark.

Literally- if he could be a shape, he would be a question mark.

He never talked, never took interest in anything. Lance wouldn't be surprised if one day the Dean of the school announced that Jake was actually a robot that was placed within the student body as some sort of test to see if he could blend in with human society.

Of course, that wasn't the case, and he would never mention that to Keith.

He lost enough sleep to Mothman- he didn't need to think his roommate might be some android too.

Either way, Jake was chill.

Keith and him got along well enough- though he wouldn't call them friends. More of awkward roommates that had nothing in common but tried to share a conversation from time to time simply because they lived together.

Lance tried to get along with Jake too since Keith got along so well with Hunk. It was kind of awkward at times, but Lance had grown comfortable enough to ask Jake whatever he wanted.

He was usually super open to people anyway.

"What is it like being Keith's roommate?" Lance inquired once during lunch. Keith didn't have the same lunch hour sadly, but Jake did.

"Hell,"

"...Is it because of Mothman-?"

"It's because of Mothman," he nods.

Lance cringes, "He's just… really enthusiastic about it, you know?"

"I know. It's all he talks about." Jake rubs at his tired eyes. "It's almost funny- Everyone always thinks being roommates with Keith Kogane would be so awesome since he's so quiet, mature, and whatever they described him as- which none are true. He's loud, and crazy and obsessed- I can't even think when all I can hear is Keith blabbering on aboutMothmann, aliens, and all these idiotic creatures that don't EXIST!"

"Uh-" Lance lifted a calming hand, realizing he had sent Jake off on some sort of rant. "O-Okay. Calm down-"

"I haven't gotten sleep in days- I have an important test today and I can't even walk straight! I'm going to kill him! Smother him with a pillow- a Mothman shaped pillow just to spite him! Wait no- no, he would probably love that. To die by the hands of Mothman would probably be fantastic to him!"

"..." Lance purses his lips, glancing around the student body for help. No one says anything, all wishing to avoid the wrath that is Jake.

"I'd do it too! Even if he is the best fighter pilot in the grade- I want some sleep! Is that too much to ask?! How am I going to be one of the greatest engineers in the world if I can't pass my stupid tests?!" Jack chugged down his monster drink, crushed it and threw it the trash can with force. "That's all I have to say on the matter!" he rose and left.

"...Nice talk," Lance waved after him. Avoiding the stares of those around him, he took a sip of his juice.

"So-" Hunk cautiously approached him, "Jake having a bad day?"

"I don't think he likes being Keith's room mate," Lance says slowly.

"Oh. Yeah…" they left it at that, the conversation over.

* * *

 **00000-000**

Lance turned on the couch, nuzzling into Keith's arm and neck, "Hey?" he hummed.

Glancing away from his book to his boyfriend, Keith inquired, "Yeah?"

Sprawled across the couch after school, the two had been cuddling from a long day. Lance enjoyed these quiet moments the most, loving when he could just hold Keith close and talk to him.

Lance wasn't sure what he was even going to say and shrugged. "Nothing,"

"You're weird," Keith tells him, kissing his forehead and going back to his book.

"That book good?"

"Yes."

"...The Sightings of Mothman." Lance read the title, "..."

"Your silence speaks louder than words," Keith says slowly.

"I hope it does," Lance turned his head to kiss Keith's neck. "Has there ever been a time you weren't obsessed with Mothman?"

"I don't think so. And it isn't an obsession- I just appreciate his existence."

"Obsession," Lance concluded. "But that is what I like about you," tilting Keith's chin towards him, he kissed him. Humming a little, Keith turned into him a little, placing down his book to cradle Lance's head in his hands.

Lance always felt a sense of pride when he could tear Keith's gaze from his conspiracy theorist ideas. It made him feel that Keith liked him more than any of that junk when he did.

At least- he hoped Keith did.

From how long they spent making out on that couch when Keith could have easily pulled away to go back to his Mothman book, Lance felt that was a yes.

* * *

 **Three months later.**

 **They broke up**


	22. Shiro's escape

"Pidge-a-roo!" Lance leaped at her when they breached the surface to meet up with the Green lion. Falling back at his embrace, the two slide into the mouth of her lion, rolling and cackling like goofs.

"Lance!" she grinned into his shoulder, squeezing her arms around his torso as tightly as they would allow, "You're okay!"

"Been a little crazy, but yeah-" he pulls away to examine her face, "Where did you end up?"

"With some fluffs in this giant space dump!" she cackled.

"We were with some brainwashed mermaids!" they rolled until Lance lifted them both upward and tossed Pidge up and down in his arms. Keith watched quietly from the side, arms crossed and smile wide. He laughed when Pidge finally saw him and reached out with her little arms, wiggling her fingers to beckon him.

'You better join this or I'm going to punch you," she threatens, despite her words sounding nothing but affectionate.

Moving into her tiny embrace, he sighs and hugs her close, "Hey there, Pidge."

"Hey, Keith. You okay?"

'Yeah, I'm fine," he nuzzles his face into her hair. "You hear from the others?"

'You two were the last ones to pick up. Everyone is waiting at the castle," she pulls away with a happy grin, "Your lions working okay? I assume it was the ice on the planet's surface causing the interference from us tracking them down,"  
Keith shrugs, "I dunno- Lance had to drag my lion up here. It took a lot of damage from Zarkon and I don't think all this water and ice is helping,"

Pidge hums, "Well, I got a wormhole up and ready outside of the atmosphere. We'll just have to tow your lion back to the castle,"

"Sounds like a plan," Lance motioned for Keith to follow him into his lion to get this show on the road. They got half way up when Pidge called to them.

"So, have you two made out already or what?"

Lance turned with a blossoming blush, "Pidge!" he roared. She grinned and cackled.

"Ooh! So you have! Congratulations!"

Wanting to toss the little gremlin into the ocean, Keith caught Lance's arm before he could, "She is just teasing," he insists.

"Yeah but-!"

"We gotta get back to the others, Babe,"

Lance's knees buckled and he tensed up. Slowly turning to Keith, trying to mask the sparks in his stomach with a cracking scowl, he hit him. "Stop,"

Keith wrapped a hand around his waist and tugged him closer, "Honey," he smiles into his hair.

"I should have never agreed to pet names," Lance grumbles, swooning on the inside. Not wanting to pull from Keith, he followed him back into the Blue lion.

As he sat down, he recalled that Pidge hadn't been around when he had dated Keith before. Meaning that he was in for a whole lot of teasing.

Great…

Starting up his lion, he moved around Keith's red lion to grab its paw with Blue's jaw- hah, that rhymed.

Pidge did something similar and the two of them dragged the lion upward. It was a struggle to fight the gravity at first, but once they made it past the atmosphere it was a synch getting it towards the wormhole.

Pidge snickered through the intercom as they passed the wormhole gate, " _So you never answered my question before_ ,"

"Pidge, I swear-!" Lance bellowed at her.

 _"Don't tell me you were too chicken,"_ she teases. Lance gasps dramatically.

"Chicken?! Me?! Never!" he huffs, "If it'll shut you up, then yes, we did."

 _"Hmm, sounds unbelieving_ ," she says. Keith snorts a little behind him.

"Oh- You find this funny, huh?' Lance challenges him over his shoulder, "Fine. Fine then. You know what Pidge? We did make out. A lot. In fact, we almost had sex. In the ocean!"

Keith physically choked behind him, stumbling. Horrified, he reached forward to cover Lance's mouth to shut him up. Lance refused, batting his hands away.

"You heard it here, Pidge! We would have done it on a big old clam too! That water would have been boiling hot once we were done with it!" he grinned when Keith's face started to turn red.

"Shut up shut up-!" Keith yelled.

Pidge was gagging on the other end of the comms, " _Pg-13 Lance, ya nasty_ ,"

"You brought this on yourself! I shall scream it to the whole galaxy! I made out with Keith!" Lance cackled. Snagging Keith's wrist, feeling courageous with the moment, he gave them a tug. Pulling the red paladin down, he pressed their lips together in a victory kiss. "And I'll do it again and again," he husks when they pull away.

Stumbling back, nearly falling over, Keith covered his mouth in surprise. Startled speechless, Keith could only seem to gawk at Lance in shocked awe. Lance winked, and he blushed heavily.

It was time for his revenge against Keith's ever-persistent pet names!

" _In the ocean, Lance? Have you no class_?" Pidge sighs

"The Ocean is the classiest thing," Lance tells her. She makes a strangled noise.

" _You are gross_ ,"

"Thank you- Oh look, the castle!" he cheered. Dragging red inside, Lance was barreling out of Blue to see the others. Keith followed with shaky knees, avoiding Pidge's judging gaze.

"Ocean, huh?"

"W-We didn't actually do it," Keith grumbles quietly.

"But you got close?"

"It was- it's complicated and none of your business!" he snaps, flustered and desperate for a topic change, "Where is Shiro?" he demanded. Following Lance down the hall, they quickly stumbled upon the awaiting yellow paladin.

"HUNK!"

"LANCE!"

Like some cheesy movie they ran to each other in slow motion, arms throw up high and tears pooling at the corner of their eyes. Throwing themselves at one another, they sobbed as they hugged. "Buddy! I'm so glad you are okay!"

"Me too, Lance! Me too!" he spotted the Red Paladin and gasped. "KEITH!" Hunk swung his arm out wildly, catching Keith around the waist and tugging him into the embrace, "Hey friend! Hey!"

"H-Hey," Keith grunted into his chest, struggling to breath. Deciding it was best not to fight it after some time, he sighed and hugged him back, "Good to see you too," he patted his back weakly.

"Lance!" a voice perked up from the hall. Peeking out from behind Hunk's shoulder, Lance waved wildly.

"Allura!" he wiggled from Hunk's bear hug and lunged at her. He hadn't gotten a chance to see her when they saved her from Zarkon- she didn't seem injured. Thank goodness. "You are okay!"

"You too," she hugged him, sighing in relief. Ruffling his hair a little, she chuckled, "I see you got some alone time with Keith~"

Lance rolls his eyes, nuzzling into her shoulder, "Just had to throw that in there, didn't you?"

"I did," she agreed. "Hello, Keith." she smiles at him. Still stuck in Hunk's hold, he waves back awkwardly.

"Allura,"

"Coran is here too," Pidge pulls on his sleeve. Lance kicks his legs out to try and reach him, refusing to part from Allura's hug.

"Coran. Just- c'mere. Join the hug. C'mere," Lance instructs. Coran doesn't even hesitate, hugging them both.

"All the paladins have returned home~" He smiles.

"Yeah! The gang is back together!" Hunk paused and his expression fell, "Kind of."

"What do you mean?' Lance inquired. Lowering Keith back to the ground, Hunk stepped to the side to reveal the cryo-pods behind him. One of them was lifted from the ground and currently active.

Keith gasped when he realized it was Shiro who was in the pod. With Lance hot on his heels, they ran for it, peering inside. Dressed in the full body cryo suit, they could tell Shiro was breathing heavily, sweat pooling around his brows.

"What happened?" Keith demanded.

"One of the druids under Zarkon command- while aboard his ship she attacked him and injured him," Allura explains, staring at Shiro with heavy concern.

"Not to mention when we crashed down on that planet after the wormhole," Hunk sighs, "I was lucky my lion was able to get back online or I would never have been able to get to him in time. There were these huge lizards things there that tried to eat him!"

Keith took that all in, nodding a few times, "...Thank you, Hunk," he tells him gratefully.

"Hey, we're all family here," Hunk says with a sense of peace in his voice as he pats Keith on the shoulder. All anger he previously held for the red paladin seemed to have faded. Keith couldn't believe his ears, looking very touched by Hunk's quiet gesture. "I just hope Shiro is going to be okay after all of that. He looks like he is having a nightmare,"

"I wouldn't doubt he is- considering what's he been through," Allura looks to the pod, sighing. "He is recovering at least- But we cannot quell whatever goes on in his mind. Only his body,"

"Hope he wakes up soon." Lance says.

"He will," Allura confirms, "In the meantime, we must assure the castle and lions are in working order. We took some heavy damage from Zarkon's fleet- how is the Red Lion?" she inquired to Coran.

"I scanned it to look for damages- the water from that planet had put it into a frozen state. It should be able to recover just fine now that it is back within the castle,"

"Unsurprising. Unlike the blue paladin, water is the exact opposite of the Red lion's natural element," Allura explains. "We are lucky the locals were able to send a message to us so we could locate you,"

"Yeah, they were mermaids. But they were kind of brainwashed and they brainwashed Keith for a bit and then I helped run a rebellion- it was crazy," Lance tells her.

"Mermaids," Hunk laughed, "That sounds awesome! We deficiently need to go back there,"

"I don't think so," Pidge says, "Apparently Lance and Keith did something nasty there, and so the waters are now considered tainted by my books,"

Hunks steps away from them, eyes wide, "Something nasty?" he gasps.

"I said we _almost_ did it, Pidge," Lance corrected her

"What do you mean by something, nasty?" Allura inquired.

"Don't tell her!" he jabbed a finger at Voltron's gremlin. She smirked wickedly.

"Well~"

"I said don't-" he tackled her.

They rolled on the ground for a few second before they heard a faint voice say, " _Don't… fight_ ," their space dad was gaining consciousness

Rushing to the pod, they shared a cheered when he opened his eyes, "Shiro!"

Blinking hazily, he smiled. They helped their leader step out and seated him down in one of the chairs. Allura was one of the main few to help carry him over, embracing him before he sat down.

"Thank goodness you are alright. Are you hungry? Shall I fetch you something?" she fretted over him. Gently, he lowered her hands and shook his head.

"I'm fine," he smiles at her and her shoulders relax, "Thank you. I just- I had this weird dream. Or, a memory?" he isn't quite sure, "About my escape from Zarkon." In an almost delusional haze, he started talking rapidly, describing a Galra.

At first, they assumed it was a Galra he had seen during the fight with Zarkon, but then he began to explain that this Galra had saved him. It was because of him that he was able to get to an escape pod and return to Earth before Zarkon's fleet arrived.

No one knew what to say about information like that. Allura wasn't happy to say the slightest, insisting he must have just dreamed it up.

Shiro was persistent, pleading with Pidge to look into the coding of his arm for coordinates that this Galra supposedly put within. She nodded numbly and got to work.

Lance was positive there wasn't much he could do other than wait right now and folding his arms behind his back. Shifting his weight from side to side, he could feel a gaze on him. Glancing around, his eyes locked with Keith's.

They shared a small smile.

Subtly, they reach behind each other, intertwining their fingers.

"I'm not finding any coordinates," Pidge admits, "Are you sure this wasn't just a dream?" She typed furiously as Shiro talked, explaining his escape.

'I'm positive. Someone helped me escape," Shiro says.

"And he was Galra," Allura seethed.

"Yes,"

"You cannot trust them," she scolds him. With a tired look, he sighed.

"Your Father must have trusted them once," there is an almost… spiteful tone in his voice, "Zarkon was the original paladin, wasn't he?" he pauses, then his voice grown softer, his eyes shining with unspoken hurt, "Why didn't you tell me?"

Allura averted her gaze, startled he would bring that up, "That was a long time ago,"

Lance turned to her, "Wait- what?" he demanded. "That was a thing?"

"Of course it was," Keith says, "Didn't you see the way he stole the black lion right from under Shiro? Or how you could do all that cool stuff with his Bayard- Shiro's Bayard? You know, _the black one,"_ he says each word slowly, leaning towards her to emphasize them.

"Why didn't you just tell us the truth?" Shiro asked her. Had he known, he would have approached Zarkon with more caution. They had almost lost the black lion during that fight- and Shiro his life.

You can't blame any of them for being a little sore from Allura's lack of trust.

With her gaze downcast, she slowly sighs, a large burden lying upon her chest, "I wanted to protect you from the Paladin's dark history. I wanted you to all have a chance to form a bond with your lion on your own," she steps towards Shiro a little, her hand lifting to graze his shoulder, saying, " _You_ are the black paladin now, not Zarkon," her grip tightened, her eyes set.

Holding the eye contact, Shiro slowly tears it away, looking at his arm, "Yeah well, the black lion may have a different say on the matter,"

"You are the black paladin," Keith announced, confident. Shiro smiles a little at him, grateful. Then he noticed Lance and the way they stood close to each other, hands held behind their backs. Blinking once, then twice, he gasps a little, "You two made up!" he motions to them.

Startled, the two almost pulled away, faces turning red. They hadn't planned on hiding this, obviously, but having their space dad point it out so blatantly was embarrassing.

"Um… y-yeah," Lance nods.

Shiro is beaming, "I'm so happy to hear that!"

Lance felt pleased- extremely so. Knowing the others were so supportive of this made his heart swell with joy and he stepped closer to Keith, nuzzling into his side, "Me too," he tells Shiro. Keith raises his eyebrow affectionately at him, leaning back into Lance.

"They have been very affectionate to each other since returning," Allura gossips with Shiro, tapping his shoulder to catch his attention. He makes a little " _Oh really?"_ kind of face and grins at her. It was... weird. Lance wondered if they were always this chummy with each other.

"Alright your love birds, sorry to interrupt, but I think I found something," Pidge says over her shoulder. Looking back at the screen they could see her pulling some sort of coordinates from the Galra code. Placing it into the computer, a system appeared, "The Thaldacon system," she tells them.

"We need to check it out," Shiro rises to his feet.

Keith cuts him off quickly, "Are you sure we can trust this? After all the Galra have done to you? They- they took your arm," he glances at it quietly. Shiro nods solemnly.

"It's worth the risk. Someone helped me escape. If we can locate some allies in our fight against Zarkon, specially ones from his own side, we might find a way to take him down."

They glance at Allura.

Taking a moment to consider it, she sighs. Knowing this was important to Shiro, she says, "Okay, we'll check it out, but I do not like this. The Galra are not to be trusted,"

Accepting that, they punched the coordinates in and shot off. When they arrived, all of them were startled at the heavy cluster of crystals laid out before them. It was beautiful, but nothing seemed to be there.

"This is it," Coran announced, "No signs of activity, living or otherwise." he started to pull the castle to a halt.

"Can we get in there to get a closer look?" Shiro motioned to the cluster.

Coran cringed, "I don't want to take the castle any closer; Those Zentherion chunks contain highly instable nitrate salts. Even bumping into one of them could send us flying!"

"Are you sure this is right?" Shiro inquired, frowning worriedly at the scene before him. Coran shrugged.

"These are the coordinates number 5 gave me,"

"My decryption is solid!" Pidge barked at them, insulted that they would doubt her skill. Though no one did, it was obvious that nothing seemed to be out here.

Allura gave it a descent 30-second look before concluding, "We should get out of here. We checked it out, but now it is time to move on."

"No," Shiro tells her, "There must be something we are missing- something more to this. I can feel It." he glances at the cluster, "I think we should wait,'

Glancing at each other, everyone slowly nodded their heads in agreement. They had never seen Shiro so insistent on anything before, and they knew he would never allow them to stay in such an open place for attack unless he was positive it was worth it.

So they waited.

Seconds, minutes, it was slowly drawing to an hour.

Lance as bored. He could sense the impatience and restlessness from everyone- and honestly, if they found a Galra that was willing to help, then great. Lance found it silly to think that everyone single person of a race would agree with their crazy dominating ruler.

Being similar to someone; sharing their religion, race, skin color, or home, does not mean you share the choices they make.

Though, he supposed he understood where Allura stood with this. They had never meet a Galra who stood against Zarkon before, so it wasn't surprising that she would be unwilling to trust them. For now, they would just have to play their cards right and see how this went.

Something light landed on his shoulder, startling him. Realizing it was a rolled up piece of paper, he glanced up to see who had thrown it.

Everyone was in their seats, completely focused on the screens in front of them- scanning for signs of life within the cluster. Everyone except for a certain Red Paladin who had snuck his way over to the door.

Keith motioning for him to follow with a wave of his finger.

Feeling exhilarated Lance glanced around. Timing it so that no one was looking at him, he crept out of his chair and tiptoes to the door. Grinning mischievously, he slipped through the crack of it and out into the hall.

Keith wasn't there, so he ran ahead. "Keith?" he whispered cautiously. Turning on his heels he scanned the entire section, confused. He was sure he had seen him come this way.

When two hands gripped around his waist, he squawked in laughter. A heavy chuckle reached his ears as Keith and him rummaged around the hallway, stumbling their way against the wall. Lance's stomach flipped when Keith kissed him, messy and more of teeth than anything else- they were laughing too hard.

Had he been sad a few weeks ago? He couldn't remember was it was like to feel anything other than joy right now. Completely adoration for this paladin in his arms- handsome and charming- but also a little brash and awkward.

A perfect little bundle of a person who some how seemed to bless and curse his life all at once.

"Excuse me, sir- but I have a boyfriend," Lance tells him between kisses. Keith's shoulders shake, and he grins.

"Do you? He can't be that great- I could do better,"

"Oh, I disagree. He's a little rough around the edges, I'll give you that- but that is why I like him," sharing a quiet gaze, the two kiss once more.

Their mouths open, and Lance groans at the taste of Keith on his tongue. Wondering, hoping, praying that things would be like this all the time, he grins. He can't seem to stop, his heart pounding too fast to worry about anything else.

"All that sneaking around just to make out with me in the hallway?" he teases.

"I could have made out with you in front of everyone else if you preferred that," Keith remarks. Lance shivers.

"Nah~ I like having you all to myself," though the idea did spark something unknown in his belly. He would have to delve into that at another time. "Though… the idea isn't unpleasing,"

Keith pushes his head into his shoulder, "Is it?"

"Oh yeah~" he trails off.

Keith rolls his eyes, "I can practically hear you thinking. Like a crunching noise," he nibbles on his jacket.

"Hey hey," Lance bats him away, "This is my favorite jacket,'

"This is your only jacket,"

"Exactly, so I want to keep it intact, thank you,"

"I'm sure we can always go buy you another jacket somewhere," Keith nuzzles his ear, nipping at it. Lance tries to step away, giggling.

"Like where? Some space mall?" he gasps, "Do you think they have those?"

"We should ask Coran and Allura,"

They swayed back and forth, kissing and lightly bitting. It was stupid. It was sweet.

It was like before, back and Garrison… but it was different. It was better. Lance could feel a kind of wall between them back then. A hesitation to go farther, to say too much. Here, knowing death lingered at each corner, there was no wall.

They weren't rushing, but they weren't holding back either.

It was a kind of freedom that got Lance's blood pumping.

"Hey," Lance tilts his head a little when Keith starts to kiss his neck.

Suckling on the soft skin, he hums, "Yeah?"

"What did you want to say before?"

Keith went still, eyes wide, "Huh?"

'You kept trying to tell me something back with the mermaids, what was it?"

Keith glances away, tapping his fingers nervously along the bars, "Oh uh… You're so beautiful that you give the sun a reason to shine?"

Startled, Lance nudges him, "After that, and stop being so corny,"

"I thought you said you like it," Keith smiles, feeling a little more at ease. Lance tries to hide his face when Keith wraps his arm around his shoulders.

"Well- I do."

"Then let me be corny to you," A kiss to his temple and Lance shivers. Humming, he nuzzled into the red paladin's neck.

'You are kind of avoiding the topic," he informed him quietly. "What were you going to tell me?"

Hesitant, Keith cradles Lance within his arms. Glancing around to assure they were alone, he clears his throat, "Okay so…" Taking Lance's hands, he brushes his thumbs over them softly, "Lance," lifting his head to bump his forehead against his, they breathe in at perfect sync

"Yeah?"

"I lo-"

An alarm began to blare above their heads. Coran's voice echoed in the hall.

 _"_ _There's an intruder in the castle!"_

Lance gasps, "How could some just sneak aboard the ship?!" He looked to Keith for answers.

His body has gone stiff and instead of looking pissed or shocked that this was happening, he sighs instead. It sounded dejected and frustrated, "Okay… okay, fine, universe… if that is how you want to play," he grumbles to himself

"Keith?" Lance shakes him a little to get him to focus. "C'mon, let's go!" Lance grabbed his hand to tug them towards their armor, "You can tell me later,"

"...Yeah," he agrees, sounding upset.

Rushing for their armor, the shoot down to level 5 where the intruder is running amuck. They planned to corner him, each lying in wait in different hallways.

Lance had been the first to spot him.

Lifting his Bayard, he watched the Galra cautiously. He was dressed in heavy black armor, standing there, as if he was waiting for them to arrive.

"I got him," Lance informs the others.

" _Keep eye's on him, Lance. We're all headed towards you,"_ Shiro called into their communicators.

" _Stay a distance, be careful!"_ Keith added in quickly.

 _"_ _Yeah, listen to your boyfriend, Lance,"_ Pidge snickers.

Lance can feel himself frowning as he cautiously inches towards the masked figure. This was not helping his focus at all. "Okay… I get it…" he grunted at them quietly.

" _Don't tease him, Pidge. Have you seen how happy he has been lately. Like a little ball of sunshine~"_ Hunk cooes.

" _Yeah that's true."_ Pidge agrees with a hum.

"Can- shut up guys," Lance hisses at them, lifting his Bayard to the Galra, "Hey, you. Don't move," he threatens. The Galra gives him an uncaring turn of his shoulder. The mask he wore in unsettling to say the least.

Not sure if this man intended to attack or not, Lance scanned his armor up and down for weapons. The only thing he could initially spot was the blade on his back. It was long, with a strange glowing symbol on the hilt.

He had…

He had seen that symbol before.

He struggled to recall where, but he definitely knew he had! Perhaps it was just a regular symbol most Galra wore, but something about it felt so familiar.

Then, he charges, running faster than Lance thought possible. Quick to fire, he couldn't seem to get a shot on him as the Galra flipped over his head and down the hall.

Coran called from above, " _Careful, he's faster than an Angry Cladmurl! But he can jump like a Splatly Gruffinhanger!_ l"

"You aren't helping Coran!" Lance yelled, running in hot pursuit.

" _Ooh, someone's as mad as a wet tofftuffer,"_ He was going to smack Coran later.

Deciding to cut right, he shoots down the other hall in attempts to cut him off. He can hear Coran above him, " _Coming your way number 5!"_ A second later Coran gasps, " _He's dragging Pidge away!"_ Lance had taken a different turn to try and catch up with the Galra, so he couldn't see this. Why in the world was he dragging Pidge away?

" _Uup, Hunk failed the team, guys!"_ he was having too much fun with this. Hunk yelled angrily at him. " _It's up to Keith now,"_

He could hear Keith in his comms, " _Copy that, I'm ready,_ "

" _Ooh, this is exciting. He's got his sword! One young paladin, one seemingly indestructible foe~! Ooh he's swings and he misses! Another swing and a miss! He can't touch him!"_

Turning the corner, Lance almost ran head first into Keith, barely able to catch his balance. Sharing a quick look, they snapped their gaze back to the Galra in front of them.

They pick up their speed and lift their Bayard's.

" _The two love birds of the team are running side by side- how romantic! Perhaps their eternal love will be enough to par with the intruder_ -"

"Shut up Coran!" They roared.

Pidge, who was being dragged behind the Galra, attempted to slow him down with her weight. Getting enough leverage off him, he was tugged to a halt and Keith lunged at him. The Galra lifted his blade to catch his Bayard.

Caught in a small stand off, Keith flinched suddenly. Startled by something Lance was unsure off, he was caught off guard when he suddenly threw Pidge at him.

All in all- they kind of sucked.

At least Shiro was able to show up and gain the upper hand and corner the Galra. Glaring at each other, the Galra suddenly straightened and lowered his weapon.

Removing his hood, the mask seemed to evaporate- pfft! His ears lifted, popping out of the helmet in a flourish. Okay, as bad as the Galra have been, man they had cute ears!

Shiro lowered his hand, startled, "Ulaz?" he asked quietly. He recognized the Galra…

And- Ooh! Allura barreled, slamming the Galra against the wall with a single hand, pinning him there with her strength alone.

"Who are you?!" she demanded, pissed that she had threatened all of them.

"Stop!" Shiro leapt into action, "it's him! He is the Galra that helped me escape!"

Glancing at him, her gaze wavered. Pissed but not wanting to go against Shiro on this, she slowly stepped back. They ended up moving to the training deck above, cuffing Ulaz's wrists and ankles.

Shiro frowned at the sight, "I don't think this is necessary," he pleaded with Allura. Folding her arms, she purses her lips heatedly.

"I will not have some quicknzaking Galra soldier on the bridge of my ship," she seethes.

The Galra seem unimpressed with her rage, his gaze lowered, "If I wanted to kill you, you'd be dead already," he says calmly. Lance hated to admit that he might be telling the truth. They didn't exactly show the greatest performance in trying to round him up. Honestly, he didn't even try to attack them. He was probably just running around and trying to find Shiro to confirm he was there.

"Are your threats suppose to earn my trust?" she growled at him

The tension was so thick, Lance was tempted to reach over to Keith, take his Bayard, and cut through it.

"I'm not trying to win your trust, I'm trying to win a war," he said simply, "And because of Shiro, we are closer than we've ever been. Our gamble with Shiro has worked out better than we could have imagined,"

Shiro steps forward, "When you released me, you mentioned that there were others working with you,"

"Yes, we are called the Blade of Marmora,"

"Others?" Hunk paled, "Are they here?"

"I am alone on this base," Ulaz assures them.

Allura found the curious, "Base?" she scoffs, "What is this base you are talking about? Shiro's coordinates just lead us to this waste land,"

Ulaz smiles ever so lightly. Though it was a little complicated, he explains how he did indeed have a base. It was indeed in a space pocket right directly in front of them, hidden from view. No one knew whether to trust him or not, but in the end, Shiro managed to convince them all.

In most cases, his gut feeling never lead them astray, so with baited breath, they delved into the crystals.

Neither of them were truly ready to be tossed into a pocket of time and space. It was beautiful, but kind of dizzying. He leaned into Keith, not able to look at the sight for too long without feeling nauseous.

"Now," Ulaz rose to his feet, "If you would free me, I need to get a message to the leadership. I need to tell them I have made contact with Voltron."

Allura turns to look at Shiro. "You got with him and keep an eye on him,' Allura tells him, placing a hand on his shoulder. The touch lingers for a second too long, and Shiro blinked rapidly.

"R-Right," he nods.

Like a homing beacon, Lance's gaze locks on the interaction, "I'll stay here with Allura… keep her safe or- whatever," he grins. Keith gives him a suspicious look.

"Can we go?" Hunk asks.

"I wanna see how they make the space pocket!" Pidge jumps up and down excitedly. Allura nods a few times, and they start to square off.

"Have fun on the weirdo communication hub," Lance kisses his Keith's cheek before he can walk off, "See you when you get back,"

"Sure you don't want to come with?"

"I'm sure." he glanced at Ulaz. It was strange having a Galra this close, but not as a threat, "Watch yourself,"

"You too," Keith's hand squeezes his and he is off.

Waving out to them till they were gone, approaching the Base, he glanced at the princess next to him. She had busied herself with looking over the Castle's systems, her gaze flickering back and forth from the screen to the base with caution and worry.

"Hey girl hey~" Lance smirks as he twirls around her. Eyeing him suspiciously, she frowns.

"What?"

"Oh nothing… just wanted to talk,"

"If this about the Galra-"

"Ulaz," Lance corrects her.

"...The Galra," she says a little more insistently, "Than I have nothing to say on the matter, other than I do not trust him,"

"That's fair. But I uh- I wanted to talk about a different person. A certain scar nosed, white fluffed, leader of Voltron, person."

Allura's hand pause along the keyboard, glancing at him quickly, "Shiro? What about him?"

Lance glanced at Coran, waiting for him to leave the room to check something before whispering, "You've been really touchy with him lately,"

The wide look on the Princess was priceless, "Touchy?"

"You've been touching him a lot lately. Patting his shoulder, little nudges~ All those flirty signals," he tells her.

She almost screams, "Flirty?!" then cuts her voice in half, "I-I have not been flirty,"

'Ooh, I think you have. You got the hot's for the godly Space dad."

"Me and- with- Shiro?" She starts scoffing, her laughing going on too long to be normal, "Do not be ridiculous, Lance," she shoves him away lightly, "We are team-mates,"

"Keith is my teammate too,"

'Oh," she scoffed, trying to throw his words back at him, "So you get back together with him for- what, two or three days and suddenly you act as if you are some… matching making King of- matchmaking?" she finishes lamely, a heavy blush pulling at her cheeks. Lance is clapping his hands.

"You totally do! You like him!"

"I most certainly do not- I need to get the castle back into shape. We have to focus on defeating Zarkon and we are wasting time on this Galra and his mind games with Shiro,"

Lance leans against the computer, "So then… you think he is using Shiro as an angle to play us?"

"Of course he is!"

"So you are worried about Shiro?"

"Of course-" she hits him, "Stop changing the subject to that!"

"Why not? You did the same thing to me!" he cackled. He totally nailed her! She had a crush on Shiro! Out of everyone, they did seem to have the most intimate conversations sometimes. They were both leaders, strong, always worrying about the team, but could be kind and playful. They were perfect for each other.

How did Lance not see this sooner? He was too focused on Keith he supposed to focus on anything else.

"You like Shiro. You like Shiro~"

Allura pushed herself from the panel to charge at him, her arms stretched eye and menacingly, "Lance!" she warns. He turns on his heels and runs across the room, yelling wildly.

As she tackled him to the ground, Coran returned with a puzzled gaze, "We playing some game?" he inquired.

"Of sorts," Allura wraps her arm around his throat in a choker hold. His cackling won't cease, his chest feeling open and warm. It was like he was back on earth, teasing his older sister after reading her diary.

"Crush! Crush!" he says, knowing Allura would want him to be subtle around Coran, but still hitting his point across.

Allura is spluttering, "I shall crush! I'll crush you!" she roared.

Watching them curiously, Coran tilts his head, "Not quite sure I understand this game," he admits.

All three of them froze when an alarm began to blare around them. Coran leaped to the console, flipping on the radar to reveal a large machine heading right for them.

Zarkon had found them.

Releasing Lance, Allura tugged him to her feet, dusting off his shoulders as she yells, "I knew that Galra couldn't be trusted! He contacted Zarkon!"

A few seconds later, Shiro appears on the screen, heading back on Keith's lion, "No princess, it wasn't him. Zarkon must have tracked us another way,"

"He is the only one who knows we are here! How would he have found us another way?" she demanded furiously. She was scanning them over with her eyes, looking for even the slightest scratch on their skin. When her eyes fell on Shiro, she gave him a double look, sighing quietly to herself when she saw that he was fine.

"It doesn't matter now," Lance tries to cut between them, "Let's focus on the raging death robot,"

"Right- get to your lions," Allura says.

Doing as they were told, they shot towards their lions and got in, waiting quietly as the beast approached. It wasn't quite sure where they were within the pocket, but it didn't take long for it to find out.

When it did, the formed Voltron and shot into offense. Though Lance didn't pay much attention to it, Ulaz had apparently left the battle at one point. Not that he figured Ulaz could do much with his little ship anyway, so he didn't care.

What he hadn't expected though was for Ulaz to return when the fight has started to get rough. They had no chance in beating this beast in the setting they were in- it was drawing too much power from the crystals around them.

And then.. Ulaz had yelled.

" _Hold on!"_

"Ulaz?" Shiro gasped, not expecting for his return.

" _I'm going to take it down from the inside!"  
_ Shiro tensed, "Ulaz, no! Let us handle this!"

" _Voltron is too valuable,"_ Ulaz tells them, his voice at peace with his decision, " _The Universe needs you,"_

With those final words, he fired his ship directly into the mouth of the machine. Speechless, they watched in horror as it began to contort in on itself, falling apart from the inside out.

"Ulaz opened the space pocket from the inside! It's folding in on itself!" Pidge gasped. Scrunching down until not a single spot of the machine was left, they jumped when it imploded, taking out a large chunk of the crystals with it.

"He did it," hunk whispers.

"Ulaz saved us!"

Shiro slouched into his chair, his gaze wavering, "He's gone," he whispered mournfully. They floated there for who knows how long, watching that empty hole. They had barely known him- but Lance thought about, he was so open with them.

He never expected trust, and may have been a little brash at times, but he welcomed them onto their base, offered Pidge possible information of her brother, and was willing to give his life for them.

It was of the noblest things he had ever seen.

He only wishes he got to know Ulaz a little bit more.

A little later, Lance found Keith wondering the halls. When they ran into each other, Lance lifted his arms automatically.

"Hey," stepping into Lance's arm, Keith sighs heavily. "You okay?"

He nods numbly, "I'm fine. You didn't get hurt out there, right?" he steps away to lift his hand to Lance's face.

"Not a scratch," he admits, "Blue took more damage than I did,"

"You thinking about Ulaz?" Lance inquires.

Keith sighs, "I don't think he ratted us out,"

"Neither do I," Lance agrees, "I just kind of wish he had, just so we could know how Zarkon possibly tracked us. Not knowing means he could easily do it again," to Lance, that was terrifying. An attack could come at any moment.

"Yeah." Keith lifts Lance's hand into his own, and kisses them. "You should go get some sleep,"

"You too," Leaning forward he planted a chaste kiss on his boyfriend's lips. He could tell something else was bothering Keith- but with everything that had happened in the last couple hours, it was hard to tell what. Figuring a large part might have just been from lack of sleep, he gave Keith a quick hug and stepped away. "Good night,"

"Goodnight, cupcake,"

Keith hand snaps to his shoulder to stop him, "M'sorry, what?"

Lance face flushes, "ShutupI'mtrying," he mumbles too fast for Keith to understand.

"Did you just call me cupcake?"

"You call me honey all the time, so I'm just- I'm trying to find a cute little nickname for you." Lance stammered, "I don't know what to say without sounding completely embarrassing so I'm just winging it and trying different things till something fits, okay?"

Blinking once, a warm and brilliant smile pulls at the corner of the Red paladin's lips, "No no- it's okay. You try whatever you want," kissing Lance one last time, they step away, "See you tomorrow?"

Lance peeks at him, "Course,"

Turning, they walked down separate halls to return to their rooms. Lance can't help but glance over his shoulder to watch Keith go. The farther he got, the more he could see his shoulders slouch in heavy thought.

Something was definitely on his mind, but what?  
Not sure, he couldn't help but peek at his butt.

Cause when was Lance not going to take the opportunity to stare at Keith's ass? It was Keith's ass! That was all you needed to know to start goggling at it!

But then… Lance noticed something.

His blade.

The realization smacked him in the face and he almost tripped. That was it!  
Ulaz's blade had bugged him when he saw it at first. Something about it was just so familiar! And not because other Galra's had it, no- he had seen it back on Earth!

Back at Garrison!

* * *

 _"_ _You are always carrying that with you," Lance has said to Keith on their 8th date. Keith glanced at his belt and nodding quietly._

 _"_ _Well yeah, of course. It is important to me."_

 _"And Garrison is cool with you carrying it around?"_

 _"When I'm in class I keep it in my bag. I never take it out or show it to anyone," Keith pulled it out of his hoister. They were leaning against his bike, staring up at the stars. Lifting it for Lance to examine, he turned it a few times._

 _"_ _It's beautiful. Doesn't seem like a normal hunting knife,"_

 _"I don't think it is. It's from my Dad, and my Mom."_

 _Lance caught his breath, "From…" he trailed off._

 _Keith lowered his gaze and nodded sadly, "It's the last thing I have from them," he swings it once, "Pretty cool, huh?"_

 _Lance didn't hesitate to nod, touched that Keith trusted him with something this large, "Yeah. Yeah it is! Did they make it or something? Is it one of those traditional hand me down things you pass on to each new generation?"_

 _"I never got the chance to ask," he admits. Reaching for the bandages that cover it, he revealed the strange symbol covering the hilt, "I've looked every where to figure out what this mean, but I still don't have a clue."_

 _"Looks like a different language," Lance curiously ran the edge of his finger over it._

 _"_ _Don't know which one," Keith puts the bandages back on, "Maybe it is just a random symbol… or something the family made up. I'm not sure,"_

 _"_ _Thanks for showing me," Lance nudges into him, kissing his brow. Keith smiles at him, his face flushing lightly._

 _'_ _You are the first person I've ever talked to about this," he admits in a soft whisper, "I've never even told Shiro. Not that I don't trust him or anything- it just never came up."_

 _"_ _I'm touched, " Lance gasps honestly. Not sure how to return such a gentle gesture, Lance told Keith at least 5 things he kept secret from everyone. He still has his favorite stuff bear from when he was 2, he sleeps with a night-light, he is afraid of worms, loves Katy Perry, and has 3 pairs of Go-Go boots in his closet that he likes to just wear and strut around it. He refused to demonstrate such a thing though, despite how much Keith pleaded with him._

* * *

That memory had all been in good fun- secrets shared between two people who liked each other.

It was only now, deep in the grip of space that Lance turned to gawk at the retreating form. Keith was in possession of a Galra blade.

A blade he had received from his parents.

What had he said before? His father has passed away, but he never met his mother.

His father was human- Keith had a picture of him back in Garrison.

His Mother had been human too… right?


	23. Greening the Cube

Keith was Lance's boyfriend now.

At this point, Lance would state this at least several times a day, each time with pride swelling in his chest. It was the truth, after all. Keith was his boyfriend now- or, he was his boyfriend _again_? He was _his_ boyfriend, was the underlined statement here.

So, as his boyfriend, Lance could tell when he was upset over something. He would have been confused to why this was if they hadn't run into a certain Galra warrior who bared a similar blade Keith had gotten from his parents.

The idea of these two things being connected had put Keith on edge, making him quiet during ship repairs and training. When they were alone, Keith seemed to hide this more, knowing Lance would spot anything too out of the ordinary. He just didn't seem to realize that Lance already knew.

Even when they put on their paladin's suit and ventured out of the castle to fix the outside damage, Keith hardly spoke a word.

Lance had wanted him to enjoy this. They were out in space! Legit space! The slight gravity the castle had kept them close to it, but they were officially floating around in the stars. No lions, just them.

The sense of zero gravity was both terrifying and amazing.

"Keith!" Lance shot forward with his jet pack, slamming into his back. Grunting a little, he looked over his shoulder, smiling slightly.

Lance was desperate to pull his thoughts from his worries. Honestly, he just wanted to sit Keith down and talk about it, but they hadn't found a chance to be alone recently. There were so many repairs to do and someone on the team was always around.

If this was anything serious or something for concern, Lance wanted to discuss this in a place where Keith felt safe and wasn't pushed for answers.

For now, he had to wait.

"The stars sure are beautiful," Lance makes some small talk, allowing Keith to drag him around the castle wall by his arms; letting his legs dangle behind him.

"It is," Keith agrees, finally managing to actually look around them and appreciate the view.

"Let's hurry up with these repairs," Shiro instructed, "Zarkon could be here at any moment,"

Feeling overly affectionate, which Keith didn't seem to mind, Lance kept his arms wrapped snugly around Keith's shoulders from behind.

Lance couldn't help but stare at Keith as they got to work on lifting the panel in front of them.

Keith probably doesn't remember that he showed Lance the symbol on his blade.

It was so long ago, and they were both exhausted that night from a long day at the Garrison.

It was just… strange. How did Keith have a Galra blade? Did a Galra give it to his parents?

Though, it didn't make sense that he would have it unless a Galra visited Earth. And if the Galra Empire had visited Earth, he would have noticed the large scale take over. Obviously, that didn't happen.

So then…

There was a second possibility swirling around in his head.

Keith's mother.

Who had his mother been?

Perhaps Keith was having all these same thoughts piling up in his head and that is why he was so quiet. It was hard to find time to just sit down and think so he probably pushed for it when he could.

"Okay," Hunk says when the panel is lifted up, "Panel's up," Coran gave some odd instructions, using Altean names that sounded like gibberish. Frowning, Hunk asks, "Can you be more specific?" Allura tempted to instruct him next, using just as confusing word, "No that doesn't help..."

"Let me try," Lance offered. Though he didn't understand a word of that gibberish, he thought there couldn't be much harm if he attempted. Maybe he would get lucky? Pressing a few buttons and turning a knob, he paled when the screen went red, spreading down to the panels below, "Oop oop, that can't be good," he floated back in a panic.

Allura and Coran started yelling at them from the controls, yelling odd instructions that they didn't understand.

"What are you talking about?" Keith demanded angrily, "Speak English!"

Pidge moved passed them, eyeing the panel thoughtfully. Taking a moment to ponder the different devices, she clicks a button, turned two knobs, and lifted the top part of the panel, turn it, and slammed it back down.

The red screen flicked back to blue, and they shared a relieved sigh.

"There, fixed," she grinned."

"Well done, Pidge!" Allura praised.

She starts to gush over the panel, "The tech on this ship never ceases to amaze me," she swoons, "It's so mathematically elegant! It's fit is 100 times more frictionless than any exoskeleton we have on earth! It's beautiful~" she stares into the distance dreamily.

"It's not a sunset, Pidge," Lance tells her.

"You're right," she scoffs sarcastically, "It's not like sunsets happen every day. Some brilliant engineer actually built this," clicking a button she lowered the panel.

"Eh, I've seen better." Lance rolls his eyes.

She frowns at him, "What could be more beautiful than this, Lance?" she questions. To answer her, he grips Keith's shoulder and scoots him up a little.

"This."

Pidge makes a gagging sound when Keith's face turns to a shade that matches his lion. He turns to Lance, hitting him out of embarrassed anger.

"Kind of seems like a big delicious curly fry," Hunk admits, ignoring them. Seconds later something that looked like snow hit his face, "What the-?"

It was like space was snowing. To Lance, that was the coolest thing. Balls of strange glowing snow floated towards them in a large herd. Curious to one, he took it into his hand. It even felt like snow.

Grinning at the possibilities this offered, he smirked towards the paladins in front of him. Shiro had pulled out his shield, blocking some of the snow. Lance took the opportunity to hit the unrespecting paladins from behind. Not sure to the lack of gravity or the snow, he missed the first two times.

"Alright, we're prepared for this. Remember your rogue projectile cluster training from the Garrison. First, we need a temporary shelter-" he finally struck his target the third time, slamming the snow right into the back of Shiro's head. Gasping, he turned around, his eyes wide, "Huh?" Not sure how the snow seemed to still hit him, his gaze locked with Lance's Cheshire grin.

"Ooh, sorry Shiro- I was trying to hit Keith," A snowball hit him right in the face. Irritated, Lance turned to the smirking red paladin responsible.

"Like that~?" he hums, his voice deep. Lance blames the cold of space for why he shivered. Yup- it was definitely the cold.

Hunk was cackling next to him, "Squishy space snowball fight!"

Snatching a second snowball from the air, Lance chucked it as hard as he could, decking Keith right in the face as pay back. "Take that, Mullet!"

"Why you-" he shot towards Lance, slamming some snot right into his chest.

Pushing into him, Lance laughed as they swirled through the snow. Keith tossed his head back to laugh with him, smiling from ear to ear. Lance preferred when he was smiling.

Pulling against each other for a few seconds, Lance could faintly hear Pidge saying something about the snow- saying they might actually be spores.

Apparently, they held some code, like a secret message inside each of them. Not really understanding Shiro still smiled at their young green paladin, "If anyone can figure it out Pidge, it's you,"

Keith took the chance to throw a snowball right into Shiro's face. It was enough of an impact to hit him back a little. Frowning, he glared at them. Realizing his gaze fell to Lance first, he waved it off, his arm draped over Keith's shoulders. "Wasn't me,"

Keith waved to Shiro, smirking.

Shiro narrowed his eyes, reaching for another snowball. He paused when Allura spoke up.

"Everyone needs to come in for decontamination,"

Floating back into the castle, they huddled into the decontamination chamber.

When the soap splashed down on them, they took the time to scrub thoroughly. To Lance, this was a chance to assure Keith clean that stupid mullet of his. Saying such, he slides over to his bruiting boyfriend. The entire bath he was just standing there, his arms crossed and his eyes downcast.

Not even two minutes has passed and he was already moody.

He was thinking about the blade again, wasn't he?

Frowning, Lance lifted his hand to cup the back of Keith's neck. He tensed a little, shooting a confused look to him. Smiling, Lance massaged his neck a little before running his fingers through Keith's hair, making sure to lather every lock.

Keith's shoulders went slack, his eyes fluttering closed at the touch. He leaned back against Lance, seeking more.

When the water sprinkled into the room from above, Lance washed out Keith's hair thoroughly before the water filled the entire room, causing them to float within. Lance couldn't help but think back to the mermaid world they had just been to. Catching Keith's gaze, Lance could tell he was thinking the same thing.

Lance avoided his embarrassment at Keith's intense look by making a kissy face at him. Keith's expression cracked and he turned away to smile.

As the water drained, Lance curled Keith's hand into his own, holding it tight. Landing back on their feet, the team hadn't expected the heavy gust of wind to hit their bodies.

Shiro and Hunk were unmoving to the breeze, but Lance was forced to grip Keith's shoulders to hold himself steady.

"Heh," Keith smirked at him, his body just as unmoving as Hunk's. It pissed Lance off how his feet couldn't help but slide a little against the floor, his body not strong enough to withstand the gust. Without a word, Keith's arm slides around his waist, holding him up by tugging him closer.

Pressed against Keith's chest, Lance huffed indignantly, hoping to look angry to hide the blush pooling into his cheeks.

Keith's gaze was unwavering, his eyes dark and swimming with something unspoken. Lance was entranced, unable to look away. Wanting to tear off their helmets and share a kiss, the moment was cut off when Pidge's small body came flying past them from the winds, crashing into the wall on the other side.

Turning to gawk at her, the two blink, "You okay?" they ask.

"Curse you tall people," she grunts.

Chuckling at her, the winds stop and they walk out together, and Lance can still feel Keith's hand on his hip, holding tight.

He eventually has to pull away of course so they can get out of their Paladin armor and change into their clothes, but Lance almost doesn't want him too.

Eyeing Keith a few times over his shoulder, Lance changes into his clothes and when Keith goes to go train Lance returns to his room.

It had been a while since he had taken the time for his skin care, so changing into his robe; he placed the cream on his face.

He had just begun to let it settle on his cheeks when he heard a familiar voice outside.

"Is there any possibility the Galra went to Earth?" It was Keith's voice.

Lance held his breath at his question, unsure of who he was talking to.

"I'm pretty sure you would know if the Galra were there," Coran was the next person to speak.

"The blue lion was there. Did a Galra pilot the blue lion as well?" Keith inquired. Lance took that chance to slide his door open.

Proudly standing in his robe, a towel on his head and face cream on his head, he stared at Keith curiously. While most wouldn't think much of Keith's questions, Lance knew it had to be something more to that.

Keith had connected his blade with Ulaz's- and just like Lance; he was confused to how it ended up on earth.

"Why are you asking about my lion?" he inquired, "How many lions do you need?" he teased.

Keith didn't take it in a teasing way and tensed, stammering, "What? No, I was- I was just-"

"No I was- I was just- I was just being adorable?" Lance grinned. Keith went wide eyes, his cheeks turning red.

"Huh?"

"C'mere," Lance reached out, snagging Keith around the waist, "You're mine~! My Keef! My precious!" he cackled over dramatically, sounding like Gollum from Lord of the Ring, "You saw nothing Coran!" He hoots

Coran chuckles as Lance drags Keith into the room, "You two," he mused, turning down the hall to continue his search for a certain mouse

When the door was closed Keith barely had time to question his boyfriend before his back was pressed against the wall and soft lips were pressed against his. Gentle and persistent, they left as soon as they arrived

Keith leaned forward a bit to follow them, blinking hazily.

"Um…" he was dumbfounded, "What?"

"Just thought I'd sneak in my daily dose of Keef affection," Lance drawled small circles with his finger into Keith's upper arm. He shivered a little.

"You need a daily dose?" he inquires, smiling.

"Hourly doses are more recommended," Lance grins. Keith snorts, looking Lance up and down.

"I will still never understand how you can wear all that stuff," he motions to the facemask.

"My complexion demands it~"

"Right…"

"So uh… how are you?" Lance inquired

"Fine," Keith raised his eyebrow, "Why? How are _you?"_ He looked Lance over as if he expected something to be wrong

"I'm just wondering. I can't ask how my boyfriend is?" Lance huffs

"Oh uh- n-no, you can. I just wasn't expecting you to out of the blue." he glances away, "I'm fine."

Lance wondered if now that they were alone that this would be the right time to ask, "You seem a little down in the dumps. Is there something on your mind?" he asks, attempting to be subtle.

Keith shrugs, "I'm just tired,"

It was a lie, and they both knew that, but Lance didn't want to call him out for it if Keith wasn't ready to talk yet. So, he went with it, "Not sleeping well?"

"Kind of, yeah."

"Maybe you just need a bedtime story before bed," he teases, poking Keith's nose. Keith bats his hand away.

"No thanks,"

"Some warm milk? I could come sing you a lullaby~"

Keith shakes his head, hugging him, "Nah, I'm fine." he pauses, "Actually, I might take you up on that lullaby offer,"

"Really?" he asks.

"Your singing is nice,"

"Aww," Lance cooed, "Thanks, Keith. I like your voice too,"

"I've never sung to you," Keith points out.

"Yeah but you use to sing when you took showers at the Garrison,"

Keith gasps and pulls away, embarrassed, "You heard me?"

"Everyone did Keith. You really got into your singing," Lance tells him, "Which is adorable, by the way."

Keith stepped back, burying his face in his hands, "Oh my god," he said in horror, "How many people heard me sing? Why didn't you say anything before?"

"Because you would have stopped!" Lance laughs, "Don't be embarrassed. We all thought you sang really well," Lance turns away to head towards his bathroom. He continued to talk as he washed off his face, "I wish you would sing more often, honestly."

"No," Keith frowns, "It's… embarrassing."

"You are great at it,"

"Why do you even want to hear it?" he frowns.

"Cause I want you to be able to trust me with everything," Lance says. Keith probably thought he meant just the singing, but Lance meant that with so much more. "I'm dating you for you, Keith. This person I see right in front of me. Singing and all~ So…" he looks him dead in the eye when he says, "You can come to me if you are worried, or can't sleep, or thinking too much…. Okay?"

Keith falls still, eyes wide. For a moment, Lance thinks Keith figured out that Lance knew more than he was letting on. But instead of saying anything about, he stepped towards Lance.

His eyes shining with a deep emotion, he reaches for Lance, taking his face into his hands, "Okay," he agrees, planting a chaste kiss on his lips. "Lance I…" he bites his lower lip, smiling sheepishly, "Lance, I lo-"

" _GUYS!"_ Pidge's voice filters through their room through the speakers, " _You have to come check this out! I figured out spores!"_

Lance glances at the speakers and sighs, "That sure was fast-" Lance cuts off when he see Keith's grumpy and annoyed expression, "What's with you?"

"Nothing," he pouts a little, like a child who didn't get a turn with a toy or something, "Let's go see what she wants,"

Not sure what was up with him, Lance quickly changes and follows after him. Taking Keith's hands, they join the others in the Green lion's hanger, where Pidge was looking over the weird spores they were messing with before.

Curious, they crowded around her work area, staring at the spore hovering over some wires.

"Ooh, I've seen this experiment! But a question, why do we need to get energy from a potato?" Hunk questions.

Pidge blinks at him, "What? No. I was able to crack the spore's code-" she chuckles at her own joke, "I ran the Bioluminescent pattern through a variety of code breaking sequences using Turid design. Of course, I had to-" she began to ramble, explaining what she had to do to actually get the spore's code.

Lance frown, leaning into Keith with a groan. When the red paladin could only take so much, his temper quick, he snaps, "Pidge, what does it say?"  
"Oh." she pauses, "Yeah. _Attack. Galra. Help._ And then there are coordinates," she reads to them.

"It's a distress signal. Good work, Pidge,' Shiro praises her. "Get those coordinates into the ship's navigation system."

A little over an hour later they made their way to a very orange looking planet. "It came from the planet Olkarian, home to the Olkari," Coran announces. "A proud class of engineers. Builders of vast cities that could change shape at the whim of their creators.

"They had a seemingly magical ability to manipulate solid metal. With just a wave of their hands, they could build a supercomputer in a block of steel."

"Whoa," Pidge gasped.

Coran leaned towards them, grinning, "An Olkari once gave me this," he announces, lifting a strange cube up to them.

"What is it?" Lance inquires.

"A, hello, it's a floating cube," Coran snorts, like that should be obvious, "This guy," he chuckles. "And watch! My name is Coran, and I'm a gorgeous man!"

" _My name is Coran, and I'm a gorgeous man!_ "

"Why would a society of literal tech wizards use spores to send a distress signal?" Keith questions.

"Who cares!" Pidge's snorts, "When do we get to see that city?"

"Actually Pidge, the signal isn't coming from the city. It's coming from… the forest?"

Pidge frowns in disappointment.

"Team, get to your lions and let's go check it out." Running to their spots, it didn't take long to get into the planet's atmosphere and begin their approach to the location. They even got a chance to pass by the city, which seem to sadden Pidge since they had to leave it only a moment later.

"Why doesn't any ever send a distress signal from a cool place?" Pidge grumbles, glaring down at the vast orange forest below them, "I hate the outdoors. Nothing but sunburn and poison oak."

"I like it out here," Keith says warmly, "It's quiet,"

A light bulb went off in Lance's head and he clapped giddily, "Ooh! Keith! Go on a date with me!"

He sputtered on the other end, "W-What?"

"It's quiet, you like quiet, I like when you are happy, so let's go on a date! Through the forest! Have a nice walk," Lance concludes.

Keith was still stammering, flustered.

"Aww," Hunk was gushing, "That is so romantic,"

"Focus team," Shiro interjects a sense of fondness in his tone, "You can go on your date after," he chuckles, winking at Keith from the screen links they had. Keith glared at him, his face crimson.

A second later, they all noticed something strange shooting past their windows.

"What was that?" Hunk asks.

Not sure what was happening since none of the objects were even close to damaging their lions, Keith frowned, "Are we being attacked?"

"I dunno," Shiro admits, "But something is dragging my lion down to the surface."

Lance was surprised when Blue turned downward as well, dragged to the surface by some unknown force. Landing in front of strange aliens with wooden weapons, they frown.

"Are those wooden mech suits?" Hunk questions the armor of the strange race below,

"Are you kidding me?" Lance frowns, "We got taken down by a bunch of tree people?"

"We come in peace!' Shiro declared to them.

Confused, the tree people watched Pidge emerge from her lion, lifting up the spore they had sent shooting into the stars, "We got your distress signal!"

They began to cheer, calling the name "Lobos," into the air. Deciding these people were in fact who they were here to help they excited their lions to join them on the surface. A woman from this strange raise, by the name of Reiner, came to meet them, explaining what had happened and how the Galra had forced them from their city.

They had been here in the forest ever since, forced to adapt to the ways of nature to survive. Despite having nothing at first, Lance was amazed at just how advanced the civilization was as the rounded these massive trees.

Their own mini city stuck out from these trees, illuminating the dark underbrush.

The people were at peace enough here, only growing more advanced as the days passed. Lance couldn't help but tap Keith's shoulders from time to time to point at something he saw in the distance, "Do you see that? Whoa!"

"Look over there," Keith told him as those circular robots they had passed by them, moving over the grass with ease.

Lance laughs, leaning into Keith, "This place is awesome!"

"Coran was right, Reiner. You really are the most incredible engineers in the universe!" Pidge praised her, "To be able to switch from work with precision machinery to a bunch of sticks!"

"Nature's designs are superior to any we could design."

"No offense," Pidge chuckles, "But I would take my computer over a tree anyway."

"You two can talk science later," Shiro tells them, "Let's assemble Voltron and get rid of these Galra invaders."Reiner shook her head, "It's not that simple I'm afraid. The Galra have our leader, Lobos."

Reiner shook her head, "It's not that simple I'm afraid. The Galra have our leader, Lobos."

"Lobos." her people echoed sadly.

"If you attack, who knows what they will do with him," Reiner pleads.

Taking that into account, Shiro sighs, "Then we'll just have to rescue him.'

Eyes widening, Reiner looks back at her people, "Here, come with me." Leading them down a strange path, they found themselves walking into and almost garden like area with strange circular balls hanging above their heads.

"Um, Reiner? Where are we?" Keith questions.

"The armory," she explains. Pointing ahead, they watched in awe as one of the Olkari lifted their hands to a flower. It attached to their palm, forming into a gun a second later, firing out a deadly laser.

"Whoa," Pidge giggle gleefully.

"That isn't the only thing," Reiner chuckled. Putting on a strange crown looking device, she put her hand on the tree. Blue veins seemed to glow within, traveling up to the circular pods below. A second later, it fell to the floor, forming into a large robot.

Keith was in awe, "Can uh- can I get one of those?"

"What, don't have enough big cool robots?" Lance snickers.

"Did you see that? How do you not want one?" Keith gawks at him.

"I didn't say I didn't want one- but can I get one first?" he smiles at Reiner.

"Wha- no way! I asked first," Keith tries to hit him out of the way.

Lance nudges back into him, grinning, "I'm taller though, so I should get it first."

"What does height have to do with anything?" Keith demands with a laugh.

"Boys, knock it off," Shiro chided them, smiling slightly.

In the end, neither of them got their own little wood robot. Pidge was the only one able to activate hers, and they had to ride with her to the outskirts of the woods to examine the city. There, there could see the Galra working on a new weapon.

A cube, similar to the one Coran had shown them, was in the progress of being built. But this was much bigger, almost to the size of Voltron.

They weren't sure what it could do, but none of them were too excited to find out.

Quickly making a plan, they retreated back to their lions to get into Pidge's green one. Using the camouflage mode on it, they snuck into the city to the building that King Lobos was being held.

It wasn't hard to maneuver their way in and sneak through the halls to his cell.

Or should Lance say his room?  
Nothing pissed him off more than when they entered, shocked to find Lobos seated peacefully on a chair, watching TV and eating snacks.

He wasn't being tortured, despite what all of his very loyal citizen's thoughts. They were being starved and beat all in order to protect him, and he was just sitting here.

He even called the guards on them when they told him they were there to rescue him.

Keith was enraged, "You scum!" he pointed at Lobos.

Lance lifted his gun at the Galra as their commander walked in. Smirking, he says, "Looks like they've come to _rescue_ you, Lobos,"

Shiro turned slowly, "You turned your back on your own people to save your own skin," he growled

"I'm doing this for my people! They wanted to fight the Galra, but they are too powerful! The Galra could destroy us!" Lobos insists."So you helped enslave your people to build some super weapon?" Lance shakes his head, disgusted.

"So you helped enslave your people to build some super weapon?" Lance shakes his head, disgusted

"Don't make me the bad guy, he forced me to do it!"

Lance wanted to turn his gun in his direction, "Did he force feed you too?"

Lobos' eyes went wide, "Uh…."

"You're no King," Keith steps forward, deep anger swelling in his eyes. Acting faster than anyone could stop him, he ran for Lobos. The king tried to run away, but the Olkari servant he had to his left hit him back, pushing him into Keith.

He snagged Lobos by the arm and pulled him back. Lifting his Bayard, he pressed his blade to Lobos' throat, "We're walking out of here!" he yelled, "Anyone tries to stop us and Lobos gets it."

"Oh boy…" Lance cringed, knowing this would happen eventually.

Shiro was oddly shocked beside him, "W-Whoa! Keith?!"

"Totally saw this coming," Lance rolls his eyes.

"What?" Shiro demands. Lance wondered just how much Shiro knew about the delinquent streak Keith had taken since his disappearance. He usually followed the rules perfectly back at Garrison when Shiro was around, always wanting to make Shiro proud.

Since his disappearance though, he took a more- violent turn…

Not that Lance didn't mind. He thought this whole display was pretty dang cool!

"What are you doing?" Lobos demanded to the Olkari who had shoved him back to Keith.

"You betrayed our people!' The Olkari barked at him, "I cannot live this lie another day!"

"You don't want me to hurt your genius engineer, right?" Keith demanded the Galra commander.

He blinked uncaringly, "Oh be my guest. His work is done and the cube is complete."  
"What?" Lobos demanded, "B-But I thought we had a deal!"

"Guards," the commanders lifts his hand, "Puts them out of their misery."

As the sentinel lifted their guns, a laser shot through the walls to their left. Shocked, they grinned to find it was Pidge.

" _Ride is here,"_ she announces.

"Activate the cube!" The commander bellowed, "Take down the lion!"

Making a break for it, they leaped out of the building to land on top of the lion. To their right, the cube they had seen before had begun to move.

Shiro narrowed his eyes at it, "The Cube is operational! We have to get back to our lions and form Voltron!"

"On it!" turning her lion, Pidge shot back to the forest. From there, they dropped Lobos off, explaining everything they had done. They Olkari were horrified, shaking their heads.

"I know you're devastated!" Shiro tells them, "But is time to be strong and use your Olkari spirit to fight along Voltron and take back your planet!"

"Lobos," Reiner narrowed her eyes at him, "How could you?" she seethed.

"I was just-"

She didn't want to hear it, "Enough!" she turns to her people, "We must free our people!"

With a cheer, the Olkari got ready for battle. Shiro nodded to them all and they returned to their lions.

While they would handle that cube, the Olkari would take back the city.

In truth, it didn't seem like a tough task to take down the cube, but it didn't take long for the team to figure out that it wasn't going to be that easy.

The cube absorbed their attacks, learning and using them against them.

"How do we beat it?" Hunk demanded.  
"We'll maybe if we use our sword we can cut through the surface and hack right into the- center point- place?" Lance didn't know correct scientific words for it.

"I agree with Lance. If blasters won't work, then maybe cutting it in half will." Keith agrees.

"Let's do it."

Yeah it uh- it didn't work. They cut it in half twice, and now they just had four smaller cubes firing at them.

"Uh oh…" a minute later, they were forced to separate back into five lions, "How are we supposed to beat this thing?!" Lance demanded.

"Try freezing it!" Hunk suggested.

Following his suggestion, Lance should have expected the to fire a freeze ray right back. It froze over the head of his lion and Lance screamed, "So cold! So cold!"

"Hold on, Lance!" Using his Lion's own ability, Keith melted the ice off his Lion.

Sighing in relief, Lance says, "Thanks, Keith. As hot as ever I see."

There was a long pause, "...Was that flirting?"

"Always," Lance hums.

"Focus!" Shiro tells them both. "We have to beat this thing and make sure it doesn't get into Zarkon's hands!"

"How are we supposed to beat it?" Pidge demanded.

"I don't know!" Hunk cried out. "Anyone have any ideas?"

Then, Pidge screamed. Shocked as two of the cubes hit her lion from behind, they called out for her as her Lion fell unresponsive and crashed into the planet below.

"Pidge!" Lance yells, unable to get a response from her comms.

"Lance, watch out!" he heard Keith's call a second too late before a cube slammed into the side of his lion.

Lance screamed as his lion was hit, of course, ramming into Hunk's by accident.

It didn't take long before all four of them were hitting the ground hard, unable to move their lions from the hits. Knowing this was bad, they had no idea what they could possibly do as the Cubes loomed above them.

Ready for the worse, they suddenly heard someone call for them.

" _Hold on_!"

"Pidge?!" they gasped as she came shooting out from the woods. Faster than they had ever seen her lion move before, she maneuvered through the cubes with ease.

"Pidge?! What's going on? You're booking!' Hunk announces in awe.

"I'm not sure!" she says, "But I feel more connected with my lion than ever! I know what I have to do." Spinning between the cubes, a new and very strange looking gun appeared on the back of her lion. Firing at the cube, it shut down for half a second before large vines exploded out from the inside, covering the surface of it.

Lance jumped in surprise, "How did you do that?"

Pidge was cackling, "That's right! Circle up every body! Get some of this!' taking down the remaining cubes, the team cheered in victory as they all fell one by one to the planet's surface.

"Haha, Vines," Hunk shakes his head in disbelief, "Well, that is definitely not how I thought giant cubes of death would go down, but I am not complaining."

"Good work Pidge," Shiro tells her, "Team, let's get back to the city to run these last remaining Galra out of this planet."

"Right," they agree and shoot off to help defend the city. When they arrived, it didn't take long to defeat the Galra and send them running home with their tails between their legs.

"We did it!" Lance high fived one of the other Olkarian's. They were all grinning at them, lifting their weapons up with pride.

When Reiner approached them, she was almost in tears, "I want to thank you all. You helped us get our home back, and for that, we will never be able to repay you."

Shiro smiles and holds out his hand in a sign of friendship, "Just promise me that when it is time to take the battle to Zarkon, we can count on the Olkari for help."

"Now and forever," she promises, shaking his hand. Smiling, she turns to Pidge, her eyes fond, "And you. The spirit of the Olkari resides in you. The bond between you and your lion has grown stronger than ever."

Pidge smiles back, "Without you, I would have never been able to unlock my lion's hidden power. Thank you." she bows her head.

Watching the two with a smile, Lance folds his arms behind his head and shifts side to side. Pursing his lips, he sings, "So… the day is saved~"

"It is," Shiro nods, looking up to smile at the Castle that was flying down to join them within the city. It didn't take long for Coran and Allura to join them, greeting the Olkari respectfully.

"So, we moving on?" Hunk asks her when she approaches them.

"Yes," Allura nods, "We'll need a few hours to restock on supplies and then head back out into the galaxy," she tells them all, "The battle against Zarkon is far from over."

"Take this chance to get what you need and rest up team," Shiro instructs.

"I'll get the supplies," Coran offers, "Hunk, care to join me?"

"Sure thing Coran," Hunk turns to follow him into the Olkari city.

Lance can't help but smile, his hands slowly slinking around Keith's waist to pull him back against his chest, "You know what I think we should do, Keith?"

He blinks wildly at him, unsure, "What?"

"Go share some alone time~," Lance grins. Keith looks a little surprised, then smirks back, intertwining their fingers a little.

Allura spots them, "Where are you two going?" she questions.

"Out and about." Lance tells her

Shiro made a noise of protest, "I don't know about that Lance. You don't know what is out there and anything could happen."

"The forest is quite safe, I assure you," Reiner announces.

"Where would you two even be going?" Allura questions, "We've only got a few hours to-"

"Go on a date!" Lance leaps into the air, cheering. "A nice stroll through the woods and what not,"

"Huh? That is what you-?" Keith looks shocked. Lance turned to him.

"I just told you we were going on the date."

"N-No you said we were going to have some alone time... uh..." he scratched the back of his head, "Uh… y-yeah. Yeah, a date. Just a date."

It takes Lance only a second, as a fellow teenager himself, to realize Keith's mind was in the gutter, "YOU WERE THINKING OF SOMETHING DIRTY!" he gasps, jabbing a finger at him.

"Shut up! You gave me mixed signals!"

Lance turned around to scream into his hands, his face enflaming, "You pervert, Keith!"

Shiro and Allura's eyes were wide and Shiro stepped forward, a stern fatherly look on his face, "Okay, now I definitely can't let you two go."

"Shiro," Keith grumbled at him, humiliated.

"Jeez, Keith," Lance batted at his face a little, "I never pinned you as the perv."

"I'm not! You are half to blame for this! You should have been more clear!"

"We were talking about going on a date through the woods earlier! How could you forget that!"

"I didn't I just- shut up!" he roars. "Let's just go!"

"We can't! Space dad thinks you are going to do unspeakable things to me and is in full protective Dad mode right now!" Lance yells

"LANCE!" They all scream at him

"YOU WERE ALL THINKING IT!" He pauses, and his gaze suddenly falls to Allura. Tensing at his sudden look, she frowns when he smirks a little, "But uh- You are absolutely right Shiro," Lance nods, "Something could happen, so we need escorts,"

Shiro wasn't expecting Lance to be so onboard with this, and raised his eyebrow, "Escorts?"

"Yeah. Oh! I know, how about you- since you are Space dad and ummmmmm~" he pretends to scan over the others, but his eyes never leave Allura, "Allura! Perfect! It'll be Keith, me, Allura and you," he concludes, "Sound good, Shiro?"

"Oh uh- yes?" Shiro frowns suspiciously at Lance, not sure what he was up to

Lance smiles innocently, "Great. So a double date~" he turns to skip off with Keith,

Allura and Shiro are sputtering behind him, "A-A what?"

"Double. Date," he says, sounding out each word slowly, struggling to hold back his wild cackle.

Allura books in forward to grab his arm. Tugging him back she growls quietly, "I know what you're doing here, Lance,"

"Oh, do you?" he chuckles. "You're welcome."

"I- no! I can't do this, Lance! I can't-" she glances back at Shiro nervously, "He's- I'm..."

'You're going to be fine," Lance assures her. "That is why it is a double date. You won't be alone."

"Yeah?" she perks up a little, relieved.

"Totally," he nods. Turning back to Keith, he waited till they are a good distance away before saying, "We are ditching them as soon as we can,"

Keith is confused, "What are you doing? Why did you invite them?"

"I'm helping our two space parents realize their love for each other~"

"Love?" Keith tilts his head, looking back at them.

"Don't tell me you haven't noticed," Lance sighs at him.

"I- well- I mean-" Keith shrugs a little, awkward. "Kind of?"

"You are hopeless," Lance boops his nose, "Just follow my lead on this. "Let's go!" Forcing all three of them into the woods, Lance walked an aimless trail, talking with Keith about little things.

"So, Shiro- did you ever tell Allura about the Garrison?" Lance inquired over his shoulder. Shiro scratches the back of his head.

"No." he tells him, "It just never came up."

"What is the Garrison?" she inquires.

Shiro began to explain to her, talking about the place fondly. Lance was smirking, his plan working perfectly.

Knowing how easily the two would click, it wasn't long before the two became engrossed with each other, discussing tales of their childhood.

After a while, they didn't even notice Lance and Keith shuffle down a different path, maneuvering to spy on the two.

"Okay, now I'm confused. Why are we up here?" Keith grumbles, peeking over the side of the tree to glance down at Shiro and Allura.

"We are letting them spread their wings and go off on their own," Lance explains.

"I thought they were here to escort _us?"_

"Do you really feel like we need escorts?" Lance inquires.

"No."

"Good. I asked them to come along just to get them alone together, Keith. They got this secret unspoken thing between them and maybe some alone time will help them realize it," like a cat, his lips curl upward. As the two passed below them, wandering into the woods on their own, Lance and Keith jumped down. Lance gave a bow, "And that is how you hook up a two people who were meant for each other."

"Oh," Keith scratches his chin, "Okay? You seem pretty sure about that,"

"You don't think they are?"

Keith glances down the path they disappeared, "I'm not sure," he admits. "I hadn't really noticed anything till today but- Shiro does seem happy whenever he is around her."

"So you approve?"

"We'll see,"

"Plus," Lance's hands slide over his, "It gives us some alone time too,"

Keith's eyes lock on his, startled, "Alone…" he closes his mouth and nods.

"A-And I didn't mean that in a weird way. Just- a nice walk," Lance looks away, his heart hammering in his chest. "Unless you-"

"N-No, a walk is fine," Keith waves his hands wildly. "I... It was my bad earlier. I read what you were saying wrong." Nudging Lance a bit, Keith motions down a different path, "Wanna go this way?"

Hooking arms, Lance says, "I'll go anywhere with you, Keith.

"That sounded almost romantic," Keith states

"I hope so, I worked hard on that line."

The two walked together for a long time, talking. It was great. Lance hadn't had a chance to just go on a date for so long, and just being able to walk around with him was the best thing he could ever ask for.

Several times Lance was almost tempted to bring up the case of Keith's blade, but the moment was so perfect that he worried he would ruin it.

It was selfish of him honestly.

But what if Keith got mad that he brought it up? Perhaps he should just wait for Keith to talk about it?

Lance wasn't sure.

"Hey," Keith caught his attention, "You okay?"

"Just spacing out," they separated for a moment to jump up to a fallen tree stump, walking across it. "This place is beautiful."

"Yeah," Keith agrees. He pauses to reach for Lance, "You didn't get hurt during that battle, did you?"

'Just some scratches. What about you?"

'I'm fine. We were lucky Pidge figured out that new power."

"She really came through," Lance says, feeling proud of her improvement. "And then there is you- threatening kings and what not,"

"That man wasn't a King," Keith scowled.

"I agree." Lance frowns, "I can't believe he would even do that- and to his own people."

"There are some real sour people out there,"

Taking a moment to pause and examine the flower field they had stumbled upon, Lance hums, "We've gotten more allies. Think we'll ever defeat Zarkon?"  
"Of course we will. We're the only ones who can,"

"No pressure or anything," Lance snorted.

"Hey," Keith took his hand, "We'll defeat him, and then we can go back to Earth… or-" he cuts off.

"Or?" Lance inquires, raising his eyebrow.

Keith shrugged, "I dunno. I guess I don't want to return to Earth right away. We have a chance to explore the entire Galaxy. Doing that kind of sound like a little fun."

"Oh," Lance looks up to the sky and smile, "Yeah, that does sound fun. You could count me in with that,"

Keith suddenly seems anxious, "Then, would you travel around? With me, I mean?"

"You?" Lance inquires, 'Were you planning on going off without me?"

"No, never."

"Then, of course, I would go with you."

Keith smiles just as they exit pass over a shadow a tree, and Lance thinks he's beautiful. Stumbling into him, his legs feeling like jelly, the two find their way to the ground. Surrounded by flowers, they lie there and appreciate the view around them.

They look at each other and Keith reaches forward, brushing his fingers through Lance's hair, admiring the sight of him.

"Hey," Lance hums

Keith's dark purple eyes grew soft, "You're beautiful,"

"You're corny… " Lance hides his blush by turning his head in the opposite direction

Keith isn't having that and sits up a little, shifting closer to him.

He placed his hands on the ground on either side of Lance's head and leaned forward, forcing him to press back firm against the dirt below. He leaned in closer, his face inches away, leaving Lance with no room to escape.

"Lance," he breathed, and just his smell disturbed Lance's thought processes, "What exactly are you worried about?"

"H-Huh?"

"It seems like something has been on your mind lately"

Lance felt he should say that about Keith, but his heart was racing too much to think straight.

"Me? No-" Lance gulped "-Just, you? You've been on my mind… a lot."

He fought back a smile. Then he bent his head down, his cold lips softly touching at the hollow base of Lance's throat.

"What about me?" he murmured against my skin.

"Everything." Lance struggled to concentrate. "You are a hard person to not think about."

His nose drew a line up the skin of Lance's throat, his hot breath tickling Lance's skin.

"And now?" Keith's lips whispered against his jaw.

"You seriously think I would be thinking about anything else but you right now?" Lance gasped.

He lifted his face to eye Lance curiously. "Am I really the only thing you've been thinking about?"

"Honestly, yes..." And it was the honest truth.

Keith smiled an easy victory.

"I've been thinking about you too," He kissed slowly down Lance's face, stopping just at the corner of his mouth.

Lance was tempted to play his own game, "Just about me?" Keith lips barely brushed against his trembling lower lip. "Or have you been thinking about something else lately too?"

"I…" he breathed. Lance knew there was hesitation the second Keith averted his gaze for a moment, "I've been thinking about a lot of things," he avoided it slyly, his lips moving against Lance's heavenly.

"Anything to worry about? Anything you want to talk about?" Lance was pushing his luck here, but he had to put the option out there.

"No." Keith's eyes were hard and Lance knew he wouldn't get anything out of him today.

"Oh… I see," he sighs, giving up.

Then he took Lance's face into his hands almost roughly, and kissed him in earnest, his unyielding lips cutting off any further conversation.

Lance sighed, and Keith's lips parted.

After some time, he slowly pulls away, murmuring, "I need to tell you something,"

Lance holds his breath. Wondering if Keith was finally going to bring up the topic about his blade, he bats his eyes widely at him. "Yeah?"

"Lance," His eyes darken with an emotion that Lance isn't sure how to describe.

The intimacy of the moment makes his heart flutter and his voice come out in a whisper, "Keith?"

"I care about you. So much,"

Lance tightens his grip, smiling widely, "Me too…"

"That isn't all. You are really important to me, Lance. You don't know what it meant to me that you forgave me- that you are still in my life. Lance, I lo-"

" _Hey, you two love birds!"_ Of all things, Coran's voice suddenly echoed in the valley. Above them, the castle hovered, a pod already being sent down to collect them, " _Time to go,"_

Keith turned to scream into his hands. Lance had never seen him so frustrated.

Not that he could dawdle on the observation through the blooding rushing to his ears and his heart threatening to burst out of his chest. What had he just been about to say just now?

Clearly, it was nothing to do about the Galra or his blade.

Keith is belting up at the castle, pissed, "Give us 5 more minutes!"

 _"You've both been out here for two hours, and that was AFTER you ditched Shiro and me_." Allura states, not sounding too happy " _The longer we dawdle the more prepared Zarkon grows,"_

 _"Keith. Lance. We need to have a talk when you two come up here,"_ Shiro's voice came next, just as angered

"Space dad is mad..." Lance paled. Keith growls, pulls at his hair, and stomps on the ground like a child not wanting to leave yet. Whatever he was going to say would have to wait. "C'mon," he takes Keith's hand. Lowering his gaze, Keith sighs and follows him to the pod

Walking to the pod, Lance tilts his head, "So- what were you about to say?"

"The moment is ruined,"

"You could still tell me,"

"No." Keith blushes a bit, "This is too important to just say nonchalantly. It has to be perfect,"

"O-kay?" Lance isn't sure he understands but doesn't push it.

"Wait for me," Keith gives him a desperate look, "I promise I'll tell you soon. A-And I'll make it perfect for you. So you know…"

Lance nods a little, "Sure thing," his heart pounds. Was Keith… was he trying to tell him something emotional? Like a confession or something?

They were obviously already dating, so Keith didn't have to tell Lance that he liked him. But then again, maybe Keith thought he had to after everything that had happened.

"You two have a nice date?" Hunk smiles as they walk onto the bridge.

"Indeed," Lance swing's Keith's hand around joyfully.

"You two do anything nasty?" Pidge asks, a glint in her glasses.

"No." Lance grumbles at her, "We were perfectly innocent teenagers... who just so happened to make out a little."

"Nasty," Pidge gags.

Lance glances at a fuming Allura who is glaring at him. Smirking a little he asks, "What about you Allura? Did you enjoy your date with Shiro?"

Turning red up to her pointed ears, her jaw drops open in a " _How dare you'_ kind of manner.

Shiro is coughing into his hand at the corner of the room, eyes wide and cheeks dusted in pink.

"A what?" Coran turns to them, folding his arms, "Princess, you did not mention any date with Shiro." he tells her, frowning suspiciously."

"T-That's because- it wasn't- I was just- Lance needed an escort!"

"Then how come you two went running off alone together?" Lance inquires innocently.

"Because you ditched us when we weren't looking!" Allura accuses him. "That wasn't a _double date_ atall!"

"Did we?" Lance fakes a gasp, "I can't recall. You two were so entranced by each other it is hard to know for sure."

"You two went on a double date?" Hunk and Pidge snickered behind him as steam seemed to almost pour from Allura's nose. She threatened to storm towards Lance and give him a good slap across the face, but Coran insisted that they needed to get going.

As they left the planet, Allura giving Lance the stink eye the entire time, they turned to Pidge when she sighed contently, "I'm glad we came here," she announces.

"You did amazing Pidge," Shiro ruffles her hair.

Chuckling, she leans back a little, smiling at the stars out the window, "You know, it's weird. I've always been a tech junkie, that's how I connected with the world. But now, I feel connected to everything." she grins, "I guess it's as Reiner said: We're all made up of the same cosmic dust,"

Keith lifts his gaze, eyes wide, "So…" he licks his lips nervously, "That means, we're all related." he gasps in realization. "This ship, those stars, the Olkari… even the Galra," he glances down at his own hand, a grateful and relieved smile pulled at his lips.

Something moves in Lance's chest. This red paladin was just trying to steal his heart away a bit more each and every day, wasn't he?

"Uh-oh, I think Keith just blew his own mind," Hunk snickers. The others join in his laughter. Puffing his cheeks angrily, Lance quickly stepped forward to wrap his arms around his shoulders.

"You're adorable," he tells him.

'I'm being serious," he grumbled.

"I know I know~" Giving his cheek a little kiss, Lance playful shakes him a little. Unable to stop his small smile, Keith wraps his arms around Lance's waist.

"And did you all see?" Coran suddenly recalls something important. Pulling something from his pocket, he tosses it into the air, "Look at all these cubes the Olkari gave me!" the single cube separates into at least 8 different mini cubes. "Coran, Coran, the gorgeous man!"

" _Coran, Coran, the gorgeous man!"_ the cubes echoed his little song.

Coran grins, "Sounds pretty good."

 _"Sounds pretty good."_

Hunk took that chance to put his fingers to his mouth, squishes his cheeks, and makes a farting noise. The noise echoed within the cubes, and the team shared a heartfelt laugh.

The fun was cut short when an alarm blared behind them.

Jumping in surprise, they turned to examine it. "What's that?" Coran demands.

" _What's that?"_ his cubes, now starting to grow annoying, said back.

A split second later, a Galra ship appeared before them, surrounded by at least two fleets of Galra vessels. Lance recognized it instantly.

It was just any Galra.

It was Zarkon.

"Oh no…" Coran whispered. _Oh no..._

Seconds before the Galra fired; Lance could feel Keith's grip tightened around his waist protectively, tugging him closer to his chest.

Oh, Quiznack.

* * *

 **Well this chapter sure did take forever 0.0 What is up with that?**

 **Anywhere! THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE WHO REVIEWED!**

* * *

 **Coco Baldwin:** I love the ship Klance too! Thank you for reading this story!

 **TenshiHaou:** Oh my gosh thank you so much! Sorry I don't really add too much to the action scenes. Honestly, because most people have already seen the show usually before reading this, I assume they already know what has happened, so I don't bother to write more than basic summaries to the battles. BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH! Hmmm yes, those Nsfw scenes~~ Bwahahahhahah XD I'm glad you enjoyed that! I was a little nervous about it honestly, but I'm happy it was appreciated :D

 **Ashlielle:** YOU ARE SUPER SWEET! THANK YOU! Ahhhh, It is so hard to squeeze in those moments though, but I'm totally going to push for more fluff and what not in every chapter after this! :D Next episode might be hard though with how much the episodes consists of just them running away from Zarkon 0.0

 **Guest:** Ahh oh my gosh, thank you! You are super sweet!


	24. Eye of the storm

Lance could physically feel the blood draining from his face as Zarkon's empire appeared before them, their guns aimed to cut them down with a single strike.

Can Lance panic now? Can that be an okay thing to do?

Cause he was! He was panicking!

The only comfort he could feel in this moment was Keith's arms wrapped snugly around his waist, tugging him protectively to his chest. A breath of air hit his ear, and Lance inhaled, his mind flashing to the worse.

Were they about to die? Was this going to be the last moment he ever shared with Keith?

Lance barely had time to consider that before they were moving, jumping into action.

"Get to your stations!" Shiro yelled, "We need to gain some ground from Zarkon's fleet!"

Scrambling to their seats, Lance pulled his screen to look behind them, watching as the fleets began to fire.

Allura slammed her hand to her controls, raising the shield around the ship.

"Princess! See if you can gain enough ground to open a wormhole without them following. I don't want any of them coming through. Keith, Lance? Let's give her some cover fire," Shiro commands.

Two small controls came up from the seat, and Lance took them into his hands, watching a small sphere looking robot appear towards the back of the castle

Pressing down on the fire button, Lance grinned as small lasers shot from the little robot, lighting up the fighters below them. Moving along the back of the ship with Keith and Shiro, Lance could hear Pidge call a warning.

"Lance, fighters coming at 3 o'clock!"

"On it!" he takes out the last fighter in front of him, then turned to attack the small group coming close. He was just about to fire when Keith shot in front of him, taking them out for him. Gawking at his screen, he yelled, "Hey!"

"Just covering your back! Gotta be quick!" Keith insists.

"I had that!"

"It's not a big deal, Lance. I'm just watching out for you!"

Ready to yell that he didn't need protecting or Keith's help to take out the fighters, he cut off when Shiro chided them to knock it off. "Stay in your zones," Shiro commanded.

Pouting a little Lance shoved Keith's pod back into his zone with his own. "Yeah Keith, stay over there,"

Behind him, Hunk was rubbing his eyes, jumping a little when Shiro asked for a status of the shields, "I uh- I dunno. 50% or 15%? My vision is blurry, I got tired eyes. I've been up too long,"

"I know we just came off a tough battle," Shiro agrees, "But we have to hold off, just until we jump,"

"And when is that?" Keith yelled.

"They are still too close," Coran explains, making a little noise of shock when Allura suddenly turned the Castle to the left. Leaning in the direction of the turn, he grunts, "We need to gain more speed!"

"I got an idea. Hold on!" Allura increases the speed enough to startle them, shooting towards a nearby planet.

"What are you doing?!" they demand.

"I'm going to use this Moon's gravity to gain some speed and put some distance between Zarkon's empire!" she explained, turning the ship to follow the moon's gravitational pull.

Lance snagged the arms of the chair, holding on tight as his body lurched to the side. The team did the same, gritting their teeth as they speed up.  
With a trembling voice, his legs quivering to stand up straight, Coran says, "C-Clear to wormhole!"

A second later, a wormhole appeared before them, and they shot through, closing just in time before any of the fighters could follow after them.

Above them, the alarm was blaring,

"Hey!" Lance calls, concerned "What gives!? We got away from Zarkon so how come we're still on alert?"

"Coran, what's going on?!" Shiro demanded.

Looking down to his screen, Coran gasps, "Oh no! We have a Telladove malfunction! We are about to leave this wormhole a lot sooner than we planned."

Tossed from the wormhole, Lance catches himself from being flung forward and looks out the window. "Where are we?" he asks, eyeing some large frozen structures dead ahead.

"Looks like some sort of iceberg graveyard," Hunk says, motioning to the large chunks of ice floating aimlessly in the void of space.

"Coran," Allura says weakly, "What's the status?"

The waver in her voice caught Lance's attention. Noticing that she seemed to be leaning against her control module, he rose to his feet, taking a few cautious steps towards her. "You okay?" he asks, barely listening to Coran as he talked, explaining that they hadn't made it to where they planned, but they at least got away from Zarkon.

"I'm… I'm fine-" Allura's knees buckled and she fell back. Lance gasps, catching her mid-fall.

"Allura?!"

The team turns in a panic, rushing to her side.

Shiro slide in front of her, his eyes wide with concern, "Princess, what's wrong?"

"I'm fine,' she lifts a hand to stop their fussing.

Coran shakes his head, his tone gentle, "You look exhausted. You've been exerting way too much energy and need some rest," he insists.

"I'm fine," she says again.

"No, you aren't," Shiro's voice is gentle but stern. Catching her gaze, he seemed to win the battle and she sighs in defeat. "I'll help you to your room," Shiro offers, extending out his hand to her. Taking a few deep breaths, with a light shine of sweat covering her brow, she takes his hand.

"Thank you,"

"You rest up, Princess. I'll go down to the engine room and check on the main turbine and figure out what is-" Coran rose to his feet to go running, but ended up slipping into the wall. Lance jumped at the sight.

"You alright?"

"O-Oh uh… fine!" he laughs nervously, "I'll tell you what I must have just hit a slippery spot right… right there. Someone please- clean this up,"

"You're slipping," Allura notes, "You might have the slipperies,"

"The what?" Hunk frowns.

Coran is stammering, gasping that she would even insinuate such a horrible thing, "That is an old person virus and I'm not old- I'm young. Or… young-ish," he pales, watching a puddle of slime form in his hand before hiding it behind his back.

"What is the slipperies?" Lance inquires, eyeing Coran's slimy body warily.

"A common altean virus that happens… later in life. It's not harmful and usually only lasts a couple of days but it causes the person to excrete extremely slick fluid," Allura explains.

The team jumped back in surprise, gawking at Coran's condition and wishing to stay as far from it as possible.

"Gross," Pidge gagged

"Too much info," Lance gagged, disgusted at the idea of slime covering his body for days at a time. He couldn't imagine how Coran must feel right now.

"Yes, it is gross! So it's a good thing that I don't have it!" Coran tries to insist, refusing to admit that he was getting on in his years.

"Coran," Allura attempts to console him, "It's nothing to be embarrassed about,"

"I'm not embarrassed because I don't have it," he says, literal layers of the liquid dripping from his arms, covering the floor.

"I'm not cleaning any of that up," Lance grips Keith's sleeve, hiding behind him to keep far away from the stuff

"Now, if you excuse me, I am going to leave because I have to fix the main turbine," attempting to leave, Coran found himself stuck in place. The ground around him had grown so slippery that his feet couldn't move more than a few inches forward. Panicking, he kicked his feet wildly, ending up slipping on his own slime and sliding out of the room and down the hall, cursing the entire way down.

"I've never been happier to not be Altean," Lance admits to Keith.

"I thought puberty was bad," he agrees.

"Alright," Shiro catches everyone's attention, "Since Zarkon has no idea where we are, this is the perfect time to plan our next plan of action," the team groaned in disagreement, but Shiro kept talking, "Let's find the secret Galra group, the Blade of Marmora. Pidge, where are those coordinates?"

Pidge blinked hazily at him, "What? Huh? Oh uh… let me just…" she typed at the screen, her eyes blurry, "I… am so tired. I can't think straight," she admits.

"Me too," Lance agrees, yawning.

Looking over his team, Shiro was about to suggest something when Coran appeared on the screen. "I discovered the problem!" he announced.

"That was fast," Pidge noted.

"Oh well I slide right down-" he trips, "I mean, _rushed,_ right down," laughing nervously he motioned behind him to show that the wormhole generator had been damaged.

He then began to explain how the wormhole or Telludove machine worked and why they wouldn't be making wormhole jumps for a while.

Losing focus the second he began to talk, Lance tilted his head back, woozy from exhaustion. Keith seemed to be in a similar stance next to him, rubbing at his eyes.

Finding it cute when he looked sleepy, Lance extended out his hand to his tired red paladin. Cupping the back of his head, he reached down and gently massaged his neck. Keith glanced at him and his eyes fluttered closed for a moment to enjoy the touch. Lance put his focus into the task, rubbing around Keith's shoulders, then traveling up to gently prodded at the back of Keith's ears. He hummed in appreciation.

"Anyway, It'll take at least a Quintet to get everything up and running again," Coran concludes.

Shiro sighs and nods, "Okay. We'll hide the ship and get some rest while Coran finds a work around. Tomorrow we'll be sharper and refocused,"

"Agreed," Lance leaned against Keith, yawning loudly. "I could sleep for days,"

"Me too," stumbling against each other, the two of them trudged down the hall to go to sleep. Behind him, Lance gave a small peek over his shoulder, watching Shiro extend his hand to Allura.

Since she was still a little weak in the legs, she took his hand and allowed him to walk her in a very gentleman-like manner to her room.

It made him smile, winking at her in encouragement. She replied with a sour face.

* * *

 **0000-000**

As much as he tried, sleep didn't come to Lance easily. There were too many thoughts in his mind, too many threats hovering in the air- he needed to relax.

You wouldn't believe how thrilled he was when Allura mentioned the pool in the lower levels. Tossing on some swim trunks that were already placed in his room, he put a towel over his shoulders and sauntered down to the elevator.

He always relaxed when he could spend some time in the water.

Exhausted, he stumbled in, everything feeling hazy around him. Yawning to himself, he watched the doors begin to close, when suddenly a hand pushed between them. Forced open, the one and only Keith Kogane stood before him, dressed in red swim trunks with a towel over his head.

Lance felt his heart kick into hyperdrive, "W-What are you doing here?" he stammered, eyeing him up and down, drinking in the sight of his bare legs and shirtless chest.

Keith hesitated at the doors, quickly averting his eyes before stumbling in. Just as exhausted as the rest of them, his movements were sluggish. "Allura said there was a pool. I'm going to go check it out. What are you doing?" he allows himself to trails his gaze over Lance's form before looking back at his own feet.

"Same,"

There is a long pause.

"So…" Keith refuses to look at him, "You stay on one side of the pool, and I'll stay on the other, and we'll stay far away from each other. Very... Far away. That will assure nothing happens,"

Lance isn't sure what he means, "Happens?"

"We can't exert any energy," Keith explains swiftly.

Lance still doesn't get it. He really has to explain to Keith that he can't read his mind and he needs to elaborate, "It isn't like I'm going to doing 50 laps down there," he tells him, "I'm just going to relax,"

"Exactly, I know, me too. Which is why you stay on your side and I stay on my side,"

Lance puckers his bottom lip. Knowing that Keith was going down there, he kind of wanted to cuddle with him. He has always been affectionate, and sometimes he just needed some hugs and affection to perk up his spirits, "But I want to be by you," he tells him.

"You aren't getting it, Lance," Keith gulps.

"I'm really not. Why can't we sit next to each other?"

"B-Because!" a red shade is growing in his ears, "You are just wearing swim trunks, Lance! Nothing else! I… I won't be able to…" he pinches the bridge of his nose to hide his face, "I only have so much self-control when it comes to you,"

"Huh?" Lance pauses, "...Oh. _Ooh!"_ he covers his mouth and blushed, "You're thinking dirty!" he accused him. Not that his mind wasn't somewhere similar, but he wasn't going to admit that.

"S-Shut up!" Keith barks at him.

"You want to get your hands all over this!" he motioned to his own body, excited and embarrassed "Get all wet and nasty~!" what in the world was he yelling?! But he couldn't help it! Keith was just too cute!

"SHUT UP, LANCE!"

"You should have just said so! It's not like we haven't gone swimming together before Keith! We made out nonstop the last time we were in a pool together back at Garrison-!"

"Lance, I swear if you don't shut up I'll-"

There is a heavy shift in the elevator. Going tense, they could feel it stop, and then the lights flickered out.

Stuck in utter darkness, trapped within the halted Elevator, the two glanced at each other.

"...Great," at least a small amount of light seemed to be filtering in from the floor, and they could slightly make out each other's forms. "How do we get out of here?"

"There is probably an emergency exit somewhere," Keith says, peering around.

"Yeah…" Lance's eyes trail over to Keith. His mind wanders to their previous conversation. Keith had been thinking quite some interesting thoughts due to them going down to the pool together. While Lance's mind hadn't been anywhere near that train of thought, it was officially in the gutter now that Keith had brought it up.

Lance wants to kiss him. In a dark enclosed space with virtually no one to interrupt them…

Oh hell yeah he is taking this chance!

Screw the exhaustion, he was wide awake now!

"It is probably on the ceiling. I'll lift you up so you can-" Keith trails off when Lance steps closer. With an incoherent noise, he backs up from Lance's approach, moving until his back hit the wall. "Lance-?"

Lance doesn't give him a chance to say another word before he's kissing him.

Keith goes stiff, then slowly, ever so slowly, his hands wrap themselves around Lance's back. He groans into the kiss, tilting his head slightly to deepen it.

Grateful he wasn't objecting, Lance pressed a little closer.

He could feel Keith's hands trailing along his bare skin, curving at his hips and up his spine. Lance shivered at the touch, gasping into Keith's mouth.

It was beginning to grow increasingly hot within this small space, and Lance legitly thought he was going to melt from the heat emanating from Keith's body. It was hard to focus, it was hard to breath- all Lance could think about was Keith.

Both of them ended up gasping in shock when their hips involuntarily bumped together, driving them mad.

"Keith…"

"Lance," Keith cupped his face, "Listen, this- this is a moment. Okay? So I'm going to tell you something quick before we get interrupted."

"W-What?" Lance couldn't believe Keith was pausing to chat. "Keith-"

"Just listen for a second. Lance, I-"

They screamed when the elevator moved.

Well, more of, gave out.

It fell at least 2 feet before jolting to a stop. While the fall wasn't horrible, it was enough to have the two paladins clinging to each other in fear.

"I'd like to get out of the elevator now please," Lance whispered anxiously to his boyfriend.

Keith nodded numbly and they scrambled to open up the emergency panel above. Crawling onto the top of the elevator, they grimaced at the long tunnel above them.

"How are we going to get out of this?" Keith sighed. Lance had an idea.

"You ever see Emperor's new groove?"

"The movie with the Llama King?"

"Yes, that," Lance turns, hooking their arms behind them. "Let's try what they did,"

"This isn't a movie, Lance,"

"You have a better idea?"

Keith frowns, "...No,"

"So," Lance turns from Keith and extends his arms back. Keith follows suit, grumbling, "I feel stupid," as they lift their feet up the wall.

* * *

0000- Allura-0000

Stumbling her way through the halls, Allura wasn't that surprised to find Shiro still awake when she entered the bridge of the ship.

"Allura?" he rises from his chair, "What are you doing here? You should be resting."

"I cannot sleep," she tells him, "Zarkon is out there- searching for us," lifting her hand to bring up the holographic screen, her palm was caught by Shiro. Caught off guard, her eyes went wide when he gave her a gentle look.

"I understand how you feel," he says, "But if you want to stay strong, you have to step away for a while. It's what is best for everyone,"

Blinking a few times, realizing he was right, she sighed, "Yes…" she looked down at her hand, still held in Shiro's. "I um… Shouldn't you be resting as well?"

"I wasn't as tired. I'm used to staying up multiple days in the row. I've done that since I was a child," Shiro admits, "Sometimes, it is hard just to fall asleep…"

"Like insomnia," Allura realizes. He blinked rapidly, then smiles.

"Yes, actually. I'm surprised you know of that."

"Alteans have many similar ailments and mental conditions as human, actually. I've discussed these things with Pidge when we have the time,"

"I see." he chuckles, "That is indeed my case."

"I had no idea. You seem to retire to your room the same time as everyone else, so I never assumed you weren't actually sleeping."

"I may not be asleep, but I get to have some peace and quiet if I got to my room," he turns his head away, laughing. "I can think there- do a little training, maybe, or plan for when Zarkon strikes. Sometimes I just spend my time trying to recall everything from my time as Zarkon's prisoner…"

Allura tightens her grip on Shiro's hand, uncaring that they were still connected, "I'm so sorry, Shiro. I wish… I wish that had never happened,"

"If it hadn't I might not be here," Shiro says, oddly at peace with this information. "It was horrible but- It wasn't so bad if I got to meet you," there is a small pause before he quickly adds, "A-And the others,"

"Oh, yes," Allura says through burning cheeks. "Of course. Yes. The others."

"Y-Yeah,"

The share some nervous laughter, pulling their hands away.

* * *

 **-Lance-**

As stupid as Keith proclaimed the idea to be, Lance was very pleased with himself when it turned out to actually work.

They were making slow progress, but the stress it held on their legs was starting to make them sore.

They had made it half up the tunnel in utter silence before slipping a bit. Tensing, the two froze up.

Keith snapped over his shoulder, "It's right, then left. You're off," he tells Lance, tired and grumpy. Lance huffs at him.

"You're off," he corrects him, "And, you're shoving too hard," he pushed back against Keith. Keith shoved him back a little harder.

"You're not shoving hard enough," The implication of the words had Lance snorting a little. Keith seemed to read his mind and blushed, "Would you focus?"

"I'm trying. Your back against mine is making it a little difficult though," Lance whines at him, "Ugh, we should be in the pool right now, making out,"

"S-Stop whining, we'll get there soon enough,"

"Then make out?" his mood perked up a bit.

There is a long span of complete silence. Then, Keith stammers, "Y-Yes. Then we make out."

"Whoop!" his cheers echo throughout the entire tunnel. With a new found determination, they made it up another chunk of the tunnel before Keith gasped.

"Lance, look!"

It was an air duct. Glancing at each other over their shoulders, the two smirked and scampered up to it. Using Keith's foot to kick it open, the two slipped inside.

Honestly, it probably wasn't the best idea they could have come up with. It ended up making them plummet from who knows what height, down to the cold ground below. While Keith didn't seem to mind such a fall, Lance was screaming, clinging to the red Paladin's back the entire descent.

A second later, they were slamming into the ground below. Lance was positive the pool should have been at the bottom of that duct, and technically, it was. The only problem was, in some strange use of gravity or whatever, the pool was up on the ceiling.

"What the heck?!" Lance threw his arms up. How did Altean's swim in an upside down pool?! How was it even staying up there?!

"Stupid altean pools," Keith grumbled. He looked ready to call it a day and just go back to his room, but then Lance turned to him.

He looked frustrated at the fact with the pool, but was determined when he asks, "But we can still make out, right?"

Keith froze, glancing around cautiously. "Um…" he nods. Like he would say no… "C'mere,"

Lance leaped into his arms, taking them down to the floor with a weight. With a chuckle that Keith thought was adorable, he brought their lips together and shared a tender kiss. Rolling them over, Keith hummed against him, enjoying any little moment he could get with Lance during this galactic war.

A little less heated than the elevator, the two were satisfied with simple kisses, the make-out session drawing out as long as the two could manage before pulling away for air.

"You said you wanted to tell me something in the elevator," Lance gasped between kisses. Keith freezes up. Straightening, he glared around the entire room for anything sign that something would interrupt them.

Holding off for only a few seconds, he nods.

"I did," he agrees. With Lance below him, smiling at him with that loving glint in his eyes, his heart swells. "Okay," Keith feels both excited and nervous about this. He feels like this is his chance. This is the moment. "Lance. There is something I've been wanting to say to you for a while."

"Okay?' Lance tilts his head, curious.

"I wanted it to be perfect because- well, you're perfect,"

"...O-Okay?" heat is pooling into Lance's cheeks.

"I wanted to tell you that I lov-"

No one could prepare him for the castle tilting to the right and all the water of the pool above pouring down on them. Lifted from the ground, they were tossed within a small whirlpool, shooting around the entire room before they were spat back out onto the hard ground.

"Ugh-why?!" Lance groaned in pain, rubbing his back. Keith punched the ground three times.

WHY WAS THE GALAXY AGAINST HIM SAYING THIS?!

"What just happened?" Lance stumbled to his feet and was answered a second later by the alarm. "Are we under attack?!" he gasped. Glancing at Keith in shock, the two make a break for the control room, deciding to take the stairs this time around.

When they arrived, it didn't take long for them both to realize it was Zarkon. "He found us already?! How is that possible? That can't be possible!" Lance panicked, sliding back into his seat to take his controls.

"Coran," Allura contacted him, "What is our status?"

" _Not good_!" he slides into view before sliding out, repeating this process, " _The turbine is still down but the biggest worry is that the tulladove is far from operational. I'm not sure if we could gain enough power for a single jump!_ "

"Try your best," Allura advised, "We'll give you as much time as we can,"

" _Right_ -" crying out and falling to the floor from the slipperies, Coran sniffled, " _Guys… I hate to admit this, but I might indeed have the case of the slipperies. I'm sorry I yelled at you Pidge, but I think I do indeed need your help._ "

Having previously been kicked out for bringing up Coran's condition, Pidge nods, "I'll be right down!"

"We must figure out a way to get out of here," Allura started the particle barrier shield up, knowing they would have to move soon if they wished to avoid damage to the castle.

"Or, we could stay and fight." Keith calls out, "This is our chance. We can form Voltron and take Zarkon out! Enough running,"

"That is too dangerous," Allura disagreed,

"The Princess is right. We can't take on Zarkon's entire fleet. Remember what happened at Zarkon's command center? We wouldn't have escaped if it wasn't for the Blade of Marmora taking down that shield."

"For now, we have to attempt to gain some ground," Allura pressed on the controls and shot them forward, revealing their hiding spot from below the floating ice. Shooting around a few of Zarkon's fighters, Keith, Shiro and Lance attempted their best to keep the fighters off their tail.

"One coming in on your nine, Lance," Keith calls.

"Thank, Babe," he grins, "You got one going for the lower barrier,"

Keith smirks a little, "Good eye, sharpshooter,"

"Seriously, flirting, right now?" Hunk groaned from his seat.

"Hey! We might die! This might be my only chance!' Lance huffs, aiming for the night fighter. Just as he was about to fire, his controls vanished from his hands. "H-Huh? I lost control of my defense drone!"

"I got you covered," Keith says quickly, only to falter when his controls disappeared too, "I uh… I don't got ya," he tapped on his screen, "Must be a system failure,"

" _No,"_ Pidge says from the screen. " _That was us. We are converting all non-essential systems to get the wormhole generator working,"_

"Shooting fighters trying to kill us sounds pretty essential to me!" Lance yells at her.

She ignores him, powering down a few others thing.

Hunk was in a panic in his seat, "U-Uh- uh oh- We lost secondary controls. The thermal regulator is offline too- Oop! And there goes the particle barrier!"

" _Okay Princess, try it! We should be able to make one very small jump,"_ Coran calls.

Closing her eyes, Allura lifted her hands to the controls. Taking a deep breath, a wormhole appeared before them. Shooting through, Lance could feel the ship visibly shake before they were forcibly tossed from it a few seconds later.

"What just happened?" Keith demanded, looking out to the raging space storm they seemed to have wound up in front of.

" _The tulladove lenses broke down a bit more! The jump ended up being short because of that_!" Pidge explains.

"Were we able to get away at least?" Lance looks at Allura.

"I believe so," she leans against she controls, just as exhausted as before. "But I am not sure for how long."A heavy silence falls between them. Slowly, Shiro rises to his feet, his gaze set.

Understanding how she felt, Lance slouched back into his chair. Zarkon had always been a threat, but he had never physically come after them like this. It was... intense, to say the least.

Slowly, Shiro rises to his feet, his gaze set.

"No matter where we go, Zarkon manages to find us. It's like he knows how to track us down. Maybe he planted some sort of tracking device?" he suggests.

Allura takes that to heart and checks the ship, sighing, "It's nothing on the ship as far as I can tell. The Castle would have alerted us of any,"

"Then what is it?" Lance reaches up to pinch his nose.

"Till we can figure out what it is, we have to assume he'll show up at any moment," Shiro concludes, "We need to stay on alert," he turns at the sound of Hunk's snoring.

A moment later he jostled himself awake and started screaming, demanding to know what was going on.

"You woke yourself up snoring," Keith tells him.

"Oh… my bad," he slouches forward.

"It's okay, buddy," Lance assures him. Watching Shiro discuss the telladove with Coran, Lance got to his feet to stretch. All he knew was that they wouldn't be leaving anytime soon. "This day just keeps getting better and better," Lance marches over to Keith, wanting- no, needing some Keith time. Always feeling better when he could be close to him he sat down on the armchair of Keith's seat.

"You said it... " Keith glances at him with a little glint in his eyes. He lowly slinks his arms out around Lance's waist and tugs him to sit in the seat with him, snuggling up close.

"Keith?" Lance asks, curious to why he suddenly got so snuggly. Usually it was always Lance who did this.

"I'm tired. I need to re-charge," Keith mumbles into his bare shoulder.

"We are still in our swimtrunks," he chuckles.

"I. Need. To. Recharge," Keith whines,

"A daily dose of Lance, huh?""More like hourly."

"More like hourly."

"What a sly flirt you can be sometimes," Lance leans back against him, chuckling.

"You got no idea, Love," Keith gives the back of his neck a loving kiss

Lance's laugh comes out a little weaker, his cheeks burning brightly. "A dangerous flirt, more of…"

"Only for you,"

" _PDA you two_ ," Pidge says from the screen. Lance sticks his tongue out at her, purposively lifting his legs to full spread himself out over Keith's lap.

Rolling her eyes, she says, "Listen, there is a metallic storm in front of us. I think we can hide in the eye of the storm to try and avoid being detected or tracked,"

Allura rubs her chin, "That could work," moving the castle forward, they slowly moved to the eye of the storm and lowered themselves into it. Looking over the controls, Allura smiles, "Brilliant Pidge. We're hidden away from any radio wave, universal scans- any sort of known technology for tacking, we are vitrually hidden from it," she praises

Pidge grin only last so long before something hits them from above. Shaking the ship, Allura turns the screen upward and gasps. "N...No way,"

Zarkon was in wait above, fighters already flooding out from the large ship. Lance's body went cold, his grip tightening in Keith's hair.

"H...How?"

" _O-Okay,"_ Pidge says shakily, " _I don't know how they found us but it definitely wasn't with normal instruments!"_

Allura lowers her gaze, then realizes something, "It's me…" she gasped. Shocked, the team look at her.

"That can't be," Lance disagrees.

"It's been me all along." Allura ignores him, "That is how they found us on Planet Aeris. There is no other explanation."

"It doesn't matter. We are in this together so we are gonna get out of this together," Shiro turns to her.

"Uh- how?" Hunk squeaked, motioning upward to the fast approaching ships. "We're trapped."

"We form Voltron," their leader answers, "Then we go through the storm,"

"Through the storm!?" Lance leaps to his feet, "Are you nuts?!"

Hunk was a stammering mess of agreement, "H-How do you expect us to do that?!"

"He could die in there, Shiro!" Keith tells him. "Lance could- I mean, we all, could die in…. There," Keith awkwardly trails off. Lance turns to him in surprise, realizing Keith was worried about his safety.

"Heard that," Allura points to him.

"Shut up," he sends her a little glare.

"Wait wait- You are willing to have us face Zarkon head on but you aren't willing to go through a storm?" Lance questions him. Keith blinked rapidly, shrugging.

"You are so- You strange mullet," Lance shakes his shoulders.

"Focus, team! I know this is risky," Shiro says, "It's our only chance. We form Voltron and lure Zarkon away from the storm. That will give Allura the chance to get the Castle into open space."

'Then what?" she demands.

"Then we wormhole away," he turns to the screen, "Coran, remember how you just said wormholing was impossible. Well, I'm gonna need you to do the impossible."

"We're gonna die," Lance concludes weakly, realizing their leader was being completely serious, "Fun."

"We can do this," Shiro insists. Not fully believing him, they geared up and began towards their Lions anyway.

"Hey," Keith snagged his wrist in passing, "Be careful out there."

"Yeah," Lance nods, "You do," tugging on the front of his paladin gear, Lance gave the red paladin a quick kiss. "See you on the other side, I guess,"

Keith frowns, worry pooling in his eyes, "I'll see you then,"

Shooting down to their Lions, they flew out of the castle to form Voltron. Once formed, they took a sharp right into the storm, luring the fighter pilots in. Taking the bait, they turned in pursuit, most exploding the second they came into contact with it.

" _They can't handle this storm,_ " Keith calls from his lion, " _It is tearing them apart_ ,"

" _Speaking of-"_ Hunk grunts when Voltron is tossed to the side, " _This storm is going to tear us apart if we don't do something!"_

Cause, of course, this storm couldn't just be strong winds- no, there were also giant floating boulders in it too!

" _Pidge, we are going to need that shield,"_ Shiro instructs, " _Keith I'm also gonna need that sword. Lance, Hunk, give us everything you got!"_

" _Engaging lower thrusters,"_ Hunk says.

"Right there with ya," Lance pulled back on his controls, watching as the energy levels shot up within his lion. Hoping his lion could hold out with this much strain, they aimed to fly out of the storm.

A second later, clear space came into view. Giving a small cheer, Lance moved his controls to start Voltron heading towards Zarkon's ship.

Like they planned, it turned to follow them, allowing the Castle to sneak out of the storm without it noticing.

The downside to this however was that the closer Zarkon's ship got, the more Lance could feel a… tug?

It grew too quickly to prepare for, making Lance feel like his very body was being ripped apart.

" _Zarkon is tempting to take the black lion again_!" Keith warned.

Hunk and Lance quickly attempted to activate their thrusters to get out of there, but it didn't seem to do any good- the pull was just too strong.

He could feel them coming apart, most likely being forced to separate by the Black lion itself, listening obediently to Zarkon's orders. It almost angered Lance that the Black lion would still listen to Zarkon after everything that creep had done.

Wasn't Voltron suppose to be the _Defender_ of the Universe? How could it even consider following in Zarkon's side after every planet, every person, that he hurt?

But, Lance kind of understood, he supposed. Bonds were there for a reason, they connected you on a deeper level. If the Black lion had grown such a deep bond with Zarkon previously, it must have been very hard to just turn its back on him.

In some way, it must still trust Zarkon.

But… But it has to realize that Zarkon isn't that same person anymore! Whatever good guy he once was, that Paladin was long gone!

Holding on with everything he could to their connection, a sudden relief washed over him when the pull stopped. Behind them, the lower levels of Zarkon's ship were exploding, shot down when the Castle came to their rescue.

"Allura!" Lance cheers.

" _This is your chance!"_ she calls, " _Get out of there_!"

Putting the thrusters at full power, they flew downward to avoid Zarkon's ship, panting heavily.

" _I forgot how strong Zarkon's connection was with the Black lion…_ " Shiro says weakly, " _If we get too close, we chance losing Voltron. For now, let's return to the castle,"_

"Right." Turning back into five lions, they went back to the Castle, turned the ship, and hightailed it out of there.

" _Hey, Lance?"_ Keith says the second he lands, " _You okay? You hurt?"_

"I'm fine…" Lance slouches back into his chair, exhausted from that mental tug a war with Zarkon. His arm was sore from when he had almost been tossed from his chair, but it would probably only be a bruise. A nasty bruise, but nothing else at least.

" _Good… Hey, why haven't we wormholed yet?!"_ he demands, pissed that they hadn't gotten out of this mess yet.

" _Because we can't!"_ Coran snaps, just as pissed, " _We are missing several skultrite lens stones! They've shattered! Gone! Don't exist! Savendahoo! … That's Altean for 'gone,"_ he explains.

"Wait- did you say skultrite?" Pidge asks. After a small pause, she gasps, " _Hey wait! I think Hunk was making some terrible cookies from that stuff"_

Hunk growls angrily from his end. " _They weren't terrible..."_

" _Wait a quintent- Hunk, let me see these so called horrible cookies!"_ Coran says. Rushing to grab them and return down to the telludove room, Coran examined them thoroughly. Peering over his shoulder, they jumped when he explained, "Unbelievable! These cookies do hold trace elements or skultrite,"

"Can we use them?" Shiro inquired.

"Yes!" Coran perks up,

"Then they'll work," Pidge grins.

"Well, perhaps for one jump, but we'll need people actually physically holding them. And if the trajectory were calculated just so…" he smirks at them. The paladins paled.

"I don't like that look in his eyes," Lance whispers frantically.

"We are gonna die," Hunk whimpered.

After a few calculations, they were placed within the telladove in strange positions. Lance was even hanging upside down from pete sake!

"This is ridiculous," Keith growls.

Hunk was humming in his spot, "It just warms my heart that people love my cookies,"

"Hunk," Lance sighs.

"Alright," Coran places the last cookie in place, "Now, nobody move if you want to live!" the ship shakes and Lance starts to panic

"I think I moved! I think I moved!"

"Then move back to where you think you were!" Coran squeaks. Turning, moving like a figure skater with his slimey body he says, "Okay, now I'm gonna monitor the beam from out there,"

Hunk calls after him, "Wait, Coran! How dangerous is this?"

Coran freezes, his body going stiff, "Honestly…" he sighs, "This is the most dangerous thing I've ever seen or heard of. But if we're gonna die anyway- What the heck?! Let's give it a shot!" he salutes them, "Good luck gentleman. And gentlelady. It's been a pleasure," as the door closes he warns, "Don't touch the lasers!"

Left in silence, the team glances at each other, horrified.

"We are gonna die. We are so gonna die,' Lance chants

"Think positive team," Shiro attempts to encourage them. As the beam starts to charge up, Lance and Hunk scream in waiting.

Watching the lasers fire from lens to lens, it stops right as it gets to Lance. Blinking, not sure what happened, he asks, "W-What?"

Coran comes sliding in a second later, "Hold on!"

"What's happening?!" Shiro demands.

"It's not working! I need to shine these stones! Nobody move!" he lifts up his slimy fingers.

"Oh… gross," Lance sticks out his tongue, realizing what he means.

"Like I said- don't move!" Coran shots towards them, running his hands over the lens' as he passed. Above them, Allura was counting down.

Lance turns to Keith, realizing this moment might be their last. "Keith!" he calls to the red paladin as Coran quickly shuffles around them, desperate to shine the stones. Keith turns his head slightly to look at him.

"W-What?" he asks, desperately attempting not to move.

Lance opened his mouth to declare his love to Keith. If these were their last moments, he wanted Keith to know how much he cared about him. He wanted Keith to know that he loved him, and that he never truly stopped loving him, even after Garrison.

But it couldn't come out.

A fear, something even more bone chilling then the possible death they were about to face, shot up his spine. Keith had rejected him the last time he said this. Keith broke up with him and left him without a trace.

They could die in this next second, so he shouldn't be afraid of Keith doing this, but he was. He was petrified of this fact.

"I…" his voice cuts off, and he can see Keith frown, puzzled at his hesitation.

"Lance?" he asks.

Lance ends up not saying anything, and he hates himself for that.

" _3…. 2…. 1!"_ Coran ducks out of the telludove.

A second later, a light flashes between them, and Lance feels like he's on fire, lasers shooting back and forth in his vision. When the light fades, none of them move, their bodys in too much pain to do so.

The next thing he knows is Allura running into the room to cheer that they had made it out alive, and Lance's legs giving out before he crashes onto the floor below him, his hair poofy and his body seared with a slight burn. "Y-Yay…" he cheers.

"Oh…" She covers her mouth, "A-Are you all alright?"

"Peachy…" Keith lifts up a thumbs up.

Stumbling to their feet, the team groans as they exit the talludove, "A-Are we safe now?" Hunk asks.

"Yes," Allura tells him, "We managed to make a full jump. It will be quite some time before Zarkon will be able to catch up with us. But by then we should be able to have the talludove up and working again."

"Thank goodness," Pidge slouches forward, "Can I go sleep now?"

Allura chuckles, "Of course. You paladins earned it."

"Yay…." like zombies they are filtering out of the room, Shiro sticking behind to make sure Allura was okay.

Pushing Keith out of the room to give the two some space, Lance grins, "We did it," he leans into Keith's shoulders, stumbling down the hall like a bunch of drunken fools.

"Yeah… You okay?" Keith chuckles, watching him with a fond raise of his eye brow.

"Fine," Lance mumbles, "How about you?"

"Tired," Keith admits. "But we did it,"

"We sure did," Lance yawns, "I'm probably going to go hit the hay," he steps towards Keith, giving him a small good night peck on the lips. Keith smiles, but it swiftly fades.

"Hey," he takes Lance's wrist into his hand before he can leave, "Back in the wormhole generator… were you trying to tell me something?" he asks.

Caught off guard, Lance chokes a little on his own spit, "W-Wha- oh uh…" he laughs nervously, "No. I was just caught in the moment, you know. I thought we were gonna die and just ended up calling out your name," he explains swiftly.

"That's all?" Keith had looked hopeful a second ago, but didn't quite look that way now.

Lance looks away, "Yup."

"You sure you aren't keeping something from me?" Keith's finger trail to hold his hand, his grip gentle, but firm enough to keep Lance there.

Lance knows he almost cornered with this, but he can't admit what he was thinking during that time. It was embarrassing, first off, but letting Keith know he was afraid he would leave him again wasn't the best way to end the day. "I'm not."

Keith looks a little skeptically, and Lance forgot how easy Keith could see through him sometimes, "You're not,"

"I'm not," he says with a little more insistence, "So just drop it."

"Lance," Keith frowns, "You can talk to me. I don't want there to be secrets between us,"

Lance turns to him too suddenly, pissed that he would even say something like that, "Neither do I, so don't act like I'm the only one who might be hiding something," When Keith's eyes widen, Lance knows he gone and done it now.

"W-What? Keith stammered.

It was too late to back down, so Lance comes clean. Kind of….

"I know something has been bugging you lately, Keith. A couple things. I don't know what exactly, or what any of it might mean, but ever since we meet Ulaz you've been acting weird." Lance wanted to say more, but honestly, the fear where the topic may lead kept him from doing so. He didn't want to fight with Keith- but maybe if he simply pointed out he knew something was wrong, Keith would feel more inclined to open up about the matter more willingly? Maybe…?

"I…" Keith's fingers slip from Lance's hand and he steps back. "I don't…" he looks away, officially caught red handed.

Lance hold his ground and adds, "I don't want you talk about not wanting secrets when you are keeping something from me. I understand if you don't want to talk about it Keith or if… if you just haven't figured it out yourself yet but, you keep telling me you're fine. But I know you aren't! So…" he steps back too, this conversation feeling too similar to the argument they had back at the Garrison before they broke up. "You can trust me, Keith. You can tell me if there is something you don't want to talk about but just- don't lie to me about it…"

"Lance…" Keith lowers his gaze, his expression torn from turning and walking away or telling Lance straight out. "There is something," he admits. "I just don't know what it means. It scares me…" he reaches forward, wanting to touch Lance. When he hesitates, Lance runs forward.

A little stronger than he means to, he rams into Keith and the two tumble to the floor, embracing each other.

Keith laughs weakly and Lance does too.

"Sorry,"

Keith shakes his head, "I'm the one who should apologize. You are right- you are completely right. I'm just a coward...

"You aren't a coward," Lance whispers into his shoulder. "It's fine if you don't want to tell me right now, Keith. Just- know I'm here for you if you want to,"

Keith's hands trembled against his back and his nods meekly, "Thank you…"

"And- even if you can't tell me, there is a whole team here that is supporting you, Keith. Shiro, Pidge, Hunk, Coran or even Allura. We all trust you Keith and we know you'll do anything for us."

Pressing his head to Keith's chest, almost uncomfortable due to their paladin gear, Lance closes his eyes. If he listens close enough, he can hear Keith's heart beat. It is comfortable, a constant beat. He loves it.

It's so soothing he can feel himself drifting away.

"I know," Keith mumbles, cradling Lance tightly in his arms, "I guess I'm just not used to being able to have people like that still. I've been alone for so long. I usually have to solve everything by myself. But it's nice to have others. I'm not alone anymore," he chuckles, "I can't even remember what it is like to eat breakfast by just myself anymore." he brushes his hands through Lance's hair, smiling up at the ceiling of the hallway, "I have everyone to thank for that. I have you to thank for that," When Lance doesn't say anything, Keith keeps talking, "Listen Lance, there is something I need to tell you. It's been on my mind for um… weeks. Months, actually."

There is a beat of silence.

Feeling suddenly nervous, Keith adds, "You're incredible, Lance. You understand me better than I know myself sometimes. You accept me for me, even my worse sides. Even the sides you might not know about yet…" he trails off, his mind trailing to the mystery of his past, "I want you to stay in my life- I want everything you have to offer me and in return you can have everything you want from me. S-So um… when I say this I mean that I- what I'm trying to say Lance, is that I…" in inhales sharply, looking back and forth to make sure nothing would disturb him. Realizing nothing was, a rush of excitement coursed through him.

"Lance, I love you,"

There it finally was. After all the attempts, he had managed to finally say it. It felt like a heavyweight was being lifted from his shoulders, replaced by something even worse as he waited for Lance's response.

There was none.

Or- maybe Lance didn't want to give him one?

"L-Lance?" he stammers, waiting anxiously. He said nothing. After a while, Keith got a little concerned and forced Lance to turn over from laying on his chest. To his horror, he realized that Lance was alseep.

How long had he been asleep?!

DID HE HEAR ANY OF THAT?!

Knowing he hadn't, Keith screamed in anguish. The universe truly hated him! This was his karma, wasn't it?! Because he had been an ass to Lance, he would never be able to confess to him. It almost seemed fair, but Keith couldn't help but get frustrated about it!  
He deserved this torment, but… but Lance deserved just as much to know!

Screaming out again, Keith jumped when Lance shoots awake, shrieking at his call. "Zarkon!? Is it Zarkon?!" he says in a wild panic.

Cursing himself for waking Lance after he finally got a chance to sleep, he grabs Lance around the shoulders and pulls him back.

"Nope! Not Zarkon! We're safe, it was just me!" he tells him, "It's okay… It's okay," he kisses Lance, hoping to calm him down. Huffing into the kiss a bit, Lance pulls away to gasp for air.

"Okay?" he whimpers, bleary eyed and too incoherent to understand much.

"We're okay," Keith confirms, tugging Lance back to his chest. Curling into it, Lance blinks up at him.

Then, he smiles, cooing Keith's name just before falling back asleep.

Keith's heart flutters with affection at the blue paladin below him.

"Oh well…" he sighs, willing to let his confession wait for another day. Instead, he scoops Lance up into his arms and takes him to his room. Knowing he wouldn't sleep well in his paladin gear, he slipped the armor off, tucked Lance in with a kiss to his forehead.

When he tried to leave, Lance's grip on his arm was tight. Too tired to really fight against it, Keith relieved himself of the top of his paladin armor and slithered into bed next to him. Cuddling next to his boyfriend, it didn't take long for Keith to let his dreams envelope him.

Tomorrow, he's convinced himself.

I'll tell him tomorrow.

* * *

 **Huh, this took a while to get out for some reason 0.0 But hey, here it is~~~~**

* * *

 **Reviews:**

 **Moonshadowcuteness1:** There shall be plenty more of that rage to come, I assure it. This is Keith's karma and punishment for being a jerk to Lance at the beginning of this story XD

 **Deepenguin4life3:** ROGER~~

 **Sunny Lighter:** It totally will. He wants it to be some big confession but knowing his luck, he is probably going to say it so nonchalantly and not even realize he said it till he see's Lance gawking at him XD

 **Pinkdoughtnuts:** He's trying XD He really is!

 **Nekoyasha12:** OOh, that is a good suggestion! :D I've honestly got so many fluffy clingy Keith in the next chapter. So I really hoped you liked this one :D I am so nervous to write the end of this series though. Knowing my pace, the third season will come out before I finish the second season up, so hopefull I'll get to figure out where Shiro went before I have to write it ;-;

 **Ewink18:** Ahhhh! Thank you so much Ewink! You are so nice! I hope you liked this chapter too!


	25. The arc of Taljueer

Lance had never slept so well in his life. Not sure if it was just the exhaustion of so many battles that knocked him out for so long or the sleeping beauty to his right, he turns to Keith with wide eyes.

Wondering how he had fallen asleep in his bed with Keith there, having not recalled even making it to his room, he poked the red paladin's cheek.

"Keith~," he says, "Keithy~ Oh my slumbering prince, wakey wakey," after a few more pokes, Keith catches his finger.

"Since when am I a Prince?" he asks, his eyes still closed.

"Since I found you taking a snooze in my bed," Lance motions to it. "What are you doing in here anyway?"

"You fell asleep, so I tucked you in. You wouldn't let me go, so I stayed," Keith peeks open an eye to smirk at him.

Lance curls his lip in an attempt to hide his embarrassment, "Oh," he averts his gaze, "We didn't uh… we didn't do anything, did we? Cause if we did, I don't remember,"

Keith is rolling them over, plopping himself on top of Lance and looming over him, "No," he answers, "Unless you want us to do something,"

Lance's face flushes to the same color of Keith's lion. Quiznack, yes. Yes Lance would love to. But he couldn't just go telling that to Keith without being extremely embarrassed, now could he?

"N-No," he stammers, "I was just making sure, you perv," shoving him off, Lance scrambled from his bed to get dressed,

Keith chuckles and collects his own gear. Making certain he had everything that was his, he took Lance's chin into his hands and gave his boyfriend a good morning kiss, "I should go get dressed. See you at breakfast?"

"I'll be there,"

Moving to the door, Keith pauses when he opens it, "Lance?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you uh- remember the conversation we had last night?"

Lance nods, "Of course I do,"

Keith's face turns red for some unknown reason, "H-How much of it?"

"Uh…" Lance is puzzled, "We talked about secrets and you admitting you had one. Then I told you it was okay, and you were saying something about breakfast or something?" he cringes, not sure, "That is about it,"

"Oh," Keith looks away, nodding, "Yeah, that was all. Um… see you later," he waves awkwardly and books it out of the room before Lance can stop him.

"What was that about?" Lance questions, shrugging off his paladin undergear. Changing into his regular clothes and cleaning his face, he sauntered down to breakfast, joining Keith at the table.

Greeting the team when they arrived, they ate in an awkward silence, most of their minds still on the recent Zarkon attacks. They had gotten away, and the relief of that had let them sleep last night- but there was still the question of how Zarkon had originally found them.

On Aires, with Ulaz, and now all the times after, Zarkon had managed to find them wherever they went.

"Alright team," Shiro strolled before them when they got to the bridge of the ship, standing tall, "We got a good nights sleep last night, and now we are ready to plan our next step of action. I know Zarkon is still on our minds."

"We still have to figure out how Zarkon was tracking us," Pidge agreed.

"We already known how," Allura sighs, "It was me,"

"Princess, no," Shiro disagrees, "There are so many other ways for him to track us,"

"Like what? We already ruled out any normal means of tracking. There is no point in debating this any further," she huffs, "Zarkon is clearly tracking us through me," The team is quick to disagree, insisting that it wouldn't make sense, "Why is that so hard to believe? Zarkon's forces showed up on Aires only after I awoke,"

"You have a point but… he also only showed up after we showed up, so it could be us for all we know," Lance tells her.

Allura gives him a long look, "How would Zarkon be able to track humans?"

"How would Zarkon be able to track Alteans?" Lance counters

"I don't know- but he is!" she yells.

"And I say he isn't!"

"Lance, Princess- stop it," Keith steps forward, "It's not you, Princess… it's me,"

"You?" Lance turns so suddenly that he almost slips. Keith nods, and that's about it. No explanation, just a wild and unbelievable statement.

Hunk motions for Keith to carry on, "Because ofvigurously~~?" he trails off.

Keith blinks, eyes wide when he realized they wanted some solid facts for his accusation, "I just think- maybe he imprinted on me during our fight or something?"

Knowing he was just reaching for something here, but still not understanding why Keith would even think for a second that Zarkon was tracking him, Lance raises his eyebrow, "Imprinted?"

"Y-Yeah," he nods.

"Keith I don't- I don't think that is how imprinting works," Lance shakes his head.

"How would you know?"

"Because you didn't even touch Zarkon! You were in your lion the whole time,"

"That doesn't mean he didn't do it!" Keith argues.

"Then wouldn't he have imprinted on Red, not you?" Hunk asks.

"He didn't imprint on Red," Keith tells him

"Then obviously he didn't imprint on you either!" Lance yells.

"Okay! Shut up!" Pidge yells, "The fact of the matter is, we don't know how Zarkon is tracking us. For all we know, it could be through the black lion."

Lance points to her, believing that over any other means, "I agree with Pidge on that one."

"Right," she nods vigorously, "Everytime Zarkon gets close, Shiro has to fight for control."

"That is only when Zarkon is nearby. No Paladin has ever been able to connect with a lion over a vast distance," Coran announces.

"So what are we going to do?" Hunk asks.

Shiro steps forward to quiet everyone down, "It doesn't matter how he is tracking us. We are going to take the fight to the Galra soon enough. They've been chasing us from Galaxy to galaxy. The last thing they expect is for us to go after them."

"The hunter becomes the hunted, huh?" Lance grins, "Awesome! That's the tag line of at least 6 of my favorite movies,"

"Frozen ground, The Backwoods, The Hunter becomes the hunted, Big Bad Wolves, Predator and Eliminated," Keith says.

Lance's jaw drops, and he looks at Keith with a star struck expression, like he had just fallen for Keith with just those movies titles, "You remember those?" he gasps.

"That is impressive," Hunk claps in awe, "I couldn't even remember all of those."

"They were your favorite to watch back at the Garrison," Keith shrugs, smiling when Lance wraps his arms around his shoulders and kisses his cheek lovingly.

"Best boyfriend ever," he concludes.

Shiro rolls his eyes at the two, smiling, "The movies aside, that is what we will be doing."

"Oh, then perfect," Pidge moves to her computer, "Because I've been working on this schematic using data of where we've had previous galra encounters. Using the data-"

Lance sighs, not sure he understood anything she was saying after a while. Making sense of a few things, Hunk asks, "So a Galra finder?"

"No more like a highly advanced system of-" seeing that they were blinking at her with large doe eyes, she sighs, "Yes, a Galra finder,"

"So, where are the Galra?" Lance inquired, curious to see if the Galra finder actually worked.

Pulling up a galactic map, Pidge highlighted a particular area, "The nearest ones are right here; a planet called Taujeer,"

"Then that is where we're headed. Let's rest today, get some sleep and tomorrow we'll head towards that Galra fleet and take it out," Shiro concludes. Agreeing with him, the team shuffled out.

Shiro paused when he noticed Keith was still there.

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah," Keith nods meekly, "Why?"

"You seem a little anxious lately," Shiro notes

Keith avoids his gaze, focusing on his feet, "I'm fine, just tired," he lies to him. "Like you said I should get some sleep." turning to leave, he paused when Shiro called to him.

"Keith? Maybe you should- I dunno, go spend some time with Lance?" he suggests, trying to brighten his spirits,

"Lance?" he asks over his shoulder

Shiro smiles, "You are always in a better mode when you are with him. Maybe a little alone time will help you both feel a little better?" he suggests

Surprised he would offer that, Keith finds himself nodding, "You think?"

"So long as it stays Pg-13," Shiro suddenly adds, a stern look on his face.

Keith should have expected this but laughs anyway, "Sure thing, Space Dad,"

"Don't call me that," Shiro chuckles, waving goodbye to Keith

When he was gone, Keith took what Shiro said to heart and found himself wandering outside of Lance's door a few hours later.

Giving it a quiet knock, it quickly flew open. Lance stood on the other side, already dressed in his pajamas and his hair wet from a recent shower, "Keith?" he smiles.

"Is this a bad time?"

"No, not at all," he tugs him in, "Wanna help dry my hair?"

"Can't you do it yourself?" Keith chuckles, following him into the bathroom.

"I could, but I like it when you do it,"

Unable to stay no when Lance puts it like that, Keith turned on the hair dryer and started to dry Lance's hair. It was a little strange to hold with the odd Altean design, but it worked very similar to the ones on Earth. Plus- Keith always enjoyed the chance to run his fingers through Lance's soft brown hair.

He smelled like shampoo.

Seated in front of Keith, Lance was opening his jar of strange facial cream. "You should try some of this with me sometime," Lance tells him, "It is great for your pores,"

"You care more about pores than I do," Keith makes a face at the stuff.

Lance sticks his tongue at him over his shoulder, "You're lost," Stretching his arm to place the lid of the jar on the counter, Keith caught sight of something below his sleeve. Reaching down, he took hold of Lance's wrist, noticing the large bruises that covered his skin.

"Hey," he frowns, puzzled at the sight, "What is this?"

He puts the dryer down and pulls up Lance's sleeve to examine the injury. It leads from his wrist up to his elbow, a nasty color of purple and yellow.

Lance blinks at it, then says, "Oh, that is from when Zarkon attacked us," he tells him. "I was so tired then that I wasn't paying much attention and almost slipped from my chair. Slamming my arm into the side of Blue or something… it's fine," Noticing that Keith couldn't tear his eyes from the sight, looking like a bear ready to maul something, he quickly says, "It's just a bruise, Keith,"

Keith knows it is but… but he also knows that it was caused because of Zarkon. It was caused because they weren't able to get away from him when they could. All of them, not just Lance, could have been killed when the Telladove was broken and Zarkon kept finding them.

Because of him…

He knows the team insisted there was no way Zarkon was tracking him, but what guarantee did they have? What guarantee did he have that Lance would be safe until the Galra were gone?

"Keith?" Lance inquires softly at his sudden silence.

Lifting his wrist, Keith kissed the bruise. He wanted to protect Lance. Even if that meant from himself.

"Hey…" there is a blossoming color to Lance's cheek as Keith tilts his chin back and kisses him. Quickly caught up in it, Lance lowers the face cream jar and turns to wrap his arms around Keith's shoulders.

"Surprise attack," Keith mumbles as they separate.

Lance leaned forward and kissed Keith back, his mouth lingering, teeth grazing against the red paladin's lower lip, making him shiver. "Surprise attack back."

"Sneaky," Keith says, his voice breathier than he intended. Sharing a few more kisses with Lance, managing to end with Lance seated up against the counter and straddling Keith's hips, the two pull apart to breathe.

Gasping, Lance runs a hand through his hair to get it out of his eyes, "W-What is all this about?"

"What do you mean?" Keith presses his nose to Lance's neck, inhaling his scent.

"You are just- I dunno. Is everything okay?" Lance says quietly, quivering against Keith's hands.

Keith pressed small kisses along Lance's neck instead of answering. "Keith… Keith?" Lance pushes him away, forcing their gazes to meet, "Talk to me. What's wrong?"

Not expecting to have to look Lance in the eye so soon, Keith almost falls apart. Barely holding on, he sighs, "I just- I really, really care about you, Lance,"

The blue paladin smiles, shyly blinking at Keith under full eye lashes, "I care about you too, Keith. A lot…"

"No Lance I- It's more than just that. You scare me. I'm so afraid something bad might happen to you." honestly, they were lucky that Lance had come out of that fight with Zarkon with just a bruise.

"Keith," Lance cups his face, "It's okay. I'm okay. We'll be all right so long as we stand together,"

Keith reaches up to hold Lance's wrists, sighing. "Y-Yeah…"

"So don't look so down," Lance chuckles, "Whatever happens, I know we'll be able to pull through," Kissing Keith's forehead, Lance grins at him.

Touched at that beautiful smile, Keith presses into him, embracing the wonderful blue paladin, "Right," Allowing Lance to finish getting ready to bed, he kisses him one final time and returns to his room.

He ended up having a nightmare.

He dreamed that Red no longer accepted him as it's paladin and even attacked. Then dreamed of being a soldier in Zarkon's empire, the armor fitting so perfectly, like it was made for him. He tried to run from it, but with each turn, he could see the team. They were turning from him, disgusted by his appearance, calling him a traitor.

Then, he saw Lance. He was backing up, shaking his head. He pleaded for Keith to stay away, terrified at just the sight of him

"Lance no… I-I'm not-"

"Don't touch me, Galra!" Lance cried out, "I trusted you! And you… you betrayed me again," tears pooled in his eyes.

"That isn't it, Lance! I'm not them! I'm not- I don't work for Zarkon! I'm not-"

" Oh, but you are, young paladin," he could hear Zarkon say, " A Galran soldier. My own personal puppet." he laughter echoed in his head.

The nightmares woke Keith up with a jolt, screaming in terror at the thought. Gasping for air, taking a few minutes to realize all of that had been a dream, Keith reached under his pillow to lift the blade his parents had given him.

It glistened back at him mockingly.

Zarkon had to be tracking them through him. And even if he wasn't, Keith had to be sure. For the sake of his friends, his family, and for Lance, he had to check. He couldn't bare the thought of Lance getting hurt because of him. He already made that mistake.

It was wrong just to leave, but what other way could he find out the truth?

With that thought, he jumped to his feet and got dressed into his Paladin gear. Grabbing a bag to fill his belongings with, unsure of how long he would be gone, he quietly tiptoes down to the escape pods.

Creeping around them, he gasped when he heard the door open. Ducking behind one of the pods, he peeked out to find none other than Allura sneaking her way around the room.

She was opening a pod and looked she was about to fly off in it.

Keith stepped out to confront her, not sure what she was doing, "Princess what are you doing here?"  
She squeaked, falling back into his arms. Blinking rapidly, she flipped out of them and straightened, clearing her throat, "Keith," she greets, attempting to act cool, "I might just ask you the same thing," she narrows her eyes, quick to pass the suspicious glare.

Quirking his eyebrow, Keith clears his throat, "Nothing. Just walking, late at night… near the pods," he curses his inability to not make things awkward.

"In full paladin armor with a bag of your belongings?" she inquires

Realizing he had been caught, he sighs, "I have to know if Zarkon is tracking me. This is the only way. Don't try and stop me,"

"I'm not going to stop you," she says calmly, narrowing her eyes, "I'm going to join you,"

Not expecting that, he blinks, "Oh uh…" Not sure what else he could say, he nodded, "Sure," together they enter the pod and shot out of the castle. Making sure to make gain quite a distance, Keith shifts in his seat.

"Okay… We're doing good… The team is going to be pissed when they figure out where we've gone,"

"Indeed," Allura agrees with a sigh. "But as you said, this is the only way. We will apologize and make it up to them when we return,"

Keith lowers his gaze, "If they accept it…"

"Are you worried about Lance?" she inquires softly.

He nods, "I've already hurt him once, and if I could avoid this, I would. But… If Lance got hurt because Zarkon was tracking me, I couldn't ever forgive myself. I would rather Lance get mad at me then injured any day."

"I understand how you feel," Allura agrees. "Lance is a kind person; I'm sure if you explain, he will forgive you,"

"You think so?"

"Definitely," she nods. "I'm honestly worried about what Shiro will think as well."

"Shiro?" Keith tilts his head, "Oh… Yeah, I guess he would be angry too." he pauses, recalling what Lance had mentioned to him before, "Do you uh… Do you like him?"

"Like him?" Allura's eyes go wide, "W-What do you mean?

"Just do you-" Keith clears his throat, "Like like him?" he inquires awkwardly

Allura's eyes couldn't be wider, and she starts laughing nervously, "D-Did Lance tell you something strange?"

"A little," he admits, "B-But not that it's weird! Just that you two might have- I dunno, feelings for eachother…?" he trails off, glancing at her from the corner of his eyes. Now that he was alone with the Princess, Keith painfully realized he had no idea how to talk to her without things feeling weird.

'Why I never- I don't- he and I don't- we are just- paladins and team mates and- Don't let Lance fill your head with strange things!" she commanded him, giving him a little bonk on the head.

"Oh, okay… Sorry," he looked back at the empty void of space before him and stayed that way. It was…

Awkward.

Very awkward.

What exactly were normal topics to discuss with a Princess anyway?

* * *

When Lance woke up, he felt like something was wrong. He assumed perhaps he has some sort of 6th sense and the alarm was about to go of to warn of an attack, but it never did. Getting dressed, he shuffled to meet with that others, unable to get rid of the worrying feeling in his stomach.

"You okay?" Hunk asked.

"Yeah," he nods.

Coran turned when the paladins entered the bridge, "Morning team," he says, "Feeling well rested?"  
"We are," Shiro smiles, "What is our status?"

"We should be moving into Taujeer's orbit soon,"

Shiro nods, "Raise the particle barrier and scan for Galra," he turned to look around the room, "Where are Keith and the Princess?" he inquired.

Speaking of the two, Lance really wanted to see Keith right about now. Something about him being in the same room always made Lance feel a little bit at ease. "Maybe he over slept," he says, noticing that Keith, in fact, wasn't there. Which was strange, because even as he took this guess; he knew that Keith never over slept.

Coran messes with his screen for a second to locate their two missing teammates, but suddenly gasps, "It appears that one of the pods launched in the middle of the night,"

"What?" Lance sits up, fully awake with that information, "What do you mean?"

"Are you saying Allura and Keith-?"

"They must have." Coran confirms, "They are nowhere else in the castle. They must have taken the pod!"

"They just up and left?" Hunk couldn't believe his ears and suddenly looked at Lance. Desperate to avoid his stare, thinking the same thing he was, he wanted to seem calm.

He definitely wasn't feeling Deja Vu or anything. Nope. Not at all. He was perfectly calm. After all, Allura was with Keith. Allura was the difference this time around. Allura wouldn't just leave. Keith didn't just leave him after getting close to him like he did a year ago.

That wasn't-

"S-Shiro?" his voice wavers.

His face is expressionless, hiding whatever feeling he held to the matter, "Contact the pod," he instructed Coran.

"Yes!" Lance hopes to sound chipper, "Contact that pod!"

Typing into the control, Coran calls into the communications, "Princess? Keith? Where are you?"

There is a short line of static, and then Allura replies, " Exactly where we should be. Far away from the castle."

" What?" Shiro questions, "W-Why?"

" We must know if we are the ones Zarkon is tracking,"

" They are isolating the variables. Well, isolating two variables," Pidge realizes.

Lance looks at her, not understanding what she was talking about, "English?" he pleads, his mind reeling.

"If you want to test a hypothesis-"

"English," he stresses.

She throws her head back and groans, "Forget it!"

" Pidge is right. If Zarkon finds you despite our absense, we will know with utmost certaintly that it is not because of us that he is tracking you ,"

"Splitting up the group leaves us far more vulnerable." Shiro disagrees, "Come back to the castle immedietly,"

There is a long pause before Allura nods. Despite knowing Shiro was right, she couldn't do it, " I'm sorry, Shiro. I cannot do that,"

"If Zarkon finds us I can fly us to safety. We are in open space with plenty of roam to meanuver, plus, we'd be able to outrun him," Keith adds, "There is also that booster rocket Pidge added,"

Coran went pale, "That thing is still on there?"

"But was leaving really the right way to go about this? What if something had happened before we contacted you or something? We would have had no clue," Hunk points out.

Pidge nods, "Hunk has a good point."

Lance grips the edge of his chair, quietly agreeing, "You could have been hurt,"

There is a long pause before he can hear Keith speak up, " Lance…."

Lance wasn't sure what to feel. He knew Keith was feeling unsure and worried, and he assumed that the reason was due to Keith's uncertain ties to the Galra.

But, he could have told Lance. He even came to see him last night before bed, only to just leave a few hours later. And with Allura? He trusted Allura with this but not him? Exactly how much had he told her anyway?

Has he told her about the blade, but he still refuses to bring Lance into this secret- though he already knew, Keith just didn't realize this. It was- It was downright upsetting to think that!

" Lance, I'm sorry," Keith babbles, " I just- I'll be back soon, I think,"

"You think?" he demands.

" I- yes- no-! I dunno. I don't know what we are going to do if it turns out Zarkon is tracking us,"

"If they are, then you wouldn't be able to come back to the ship without Zarkon following them," Pidge says softly.

"What?" Lance gasps, sounding horrified, "Then what are they supposed to do?"

"Everyone calm down," Shiro says, "We will think through this. We have no proof that Allura or Keith are the reasons Zarkon is tracking us, so until we know for sure, we can't lose our heads,"

" Are you saying you agree to use being out here, then ?" Allura inquired.

"No, not at all," he says quickly, a bite to his tone. It sounded almost… like hurt. Lance realized through the waver in Shiro's eyes that Allura had hurt him doing this. She had took his trust for granted and engarnger not just herself, but someone Shiro considered to be a brother as well.

He knew Shiro was still a little catious of Allura after he learned she had been keeping the informaton of Zarkon being the previous black paladin from him, so this event probably wasn't helping much.

"We need both of you back here now-" Shiro isn't up to debate this, but gets cut of when the Castle shakes violently. Gripping his chair, Lance looks up to spot strange amounts debirs floating overhead,

"What the-?"

"It's some sort of debris field," Hunk gasps

"Coran, what is going on? I thought we were heading towards Taujeer?" Shiro demands

Coran looks over his conrols and gasps, "I think this is Tajueer!" they look up just as the planet came into view. The debris was coming from the planet itself, like pieces of it's own skin was being peeling of bits at a time and tossed out into space.

" Coran, what is going on-?" Allura's question was cut off suddenly.

"Some kind of radiation from the planet is interferring with communications," Coran says to Shiro

"Move the castle away from the planet to reastablish the link. Everyone else, get to your lions," Shiro commands. Leaping to their feet, their rush to head out .

When they went to place on their paladin armor, Lance's thoughts were lost to the stars.

In some means, Lance figured he was mad. It was kind of hard to tell what exactly he was feeling while simultaniously trying to focus on the people of Taujeer. He was used to Keith trying to do everything solo.

That was just how he always was, even back at Garrison.

Years of growing up alone instilled that independance in him- making it very difficult for him to put trust in others or rely on them.

Not that he didn't trust the team, he was just used to having to do everything by himself.

So Lance wasn't fully mad that he would just leave to make sure Zarkon wasn't tracking him- Perhpas it was just Allura.

The fact that he let her tag along instead of asking Lance to. Or trusting her with it instead of him. Perhaps he was just being shallow though?

Keith was just- he was weird. Lance still didn't understand why he would think that Zarkon was somehow tracking them through him.

Maybe…

Maybe it was because of that blade? Keith obviously had some sort of connection with the Galra, so did Keith just assume Zarkon could hunt him down through it? It was hard to tell what Keith was thinking without asking and getting an answer from him.

But if all these were true, Lance couldn't fault him for taking action to make sure.

He could have at least told Lance though. Lance might not have agreed, but if Keith was serious enough about it, he would have let him go. He didn't have to sneak off in the middle of the night.

And Allura too!

But, at least they were together and could keep each other safe.

"Hey…" Hunk's hand was gently placed upon his shoulder, "You okay?"

"I'm fine… why?" he faked a smile

"Dude, come on." Hunk says with a puppy dog like pout, "I know you better than that,"

Sighing, Lance nods, "I know. I'm sorry. I don't know how to feel right now… I don't know if I should feel hurt, angry- maybe both? I understand why he did it. And honestly, I probably would have done the same. I just wish he told me."

"You going to be okay?"

"We have to focus on Taujeer," Lance tosses on his helmet and runs to meet up with his lion. Shooting out of the castle, the rest of them head down to Tajueers, surprised to see it's people huddled within some sort of Arc above the crumbling surface.

They had little time, the planet was breaking apart, and the Tajueers only had one working engine.

Lance hoped they hadn't bit off more than they could chew

* * *

Keith said nothing as he looked over the screen, taping the scanner once against to check surroundings. For the hundreth time today he saw only empty space.

Glancing to Allura, who was staring out of the pod in boredom, he clears his throat, "We've been here for hours," he announces, "No sign of Zarkon,"

"Well, I'm glad I don't have to wait alone," Allura gives him a small smile. Keith nods, and the awkward silence between the two returns.

Now that he thought about it, had he ever really even talked to Allura before? Besides on missions or high tense situations, had he ever really even just said Hi to her? He honestly couldn't recall, so probably not.

"So uh… How are Lance and you doing?" Allura inquired.

"Great," he smiles then pauses, "At least- hopefully we still are after this,"

"Right," she nods, recalling how they had already had issues before this. "He um- he really cares for you, so I am sure he will understand through time,"

"Yeah," Keith nods, not feeling too confident in that. "Shiro too, you know. He knows what it is like to make those tough decisions to make sure your friends are safe. The uh- the entire team is like that,"

Relieved to hear that, Allura nods, "That is good to hear. I- you have to understand, I could never live with myself if I knew that Zarkon was finding us because of me. I must know." she looks at her knees with a heavy sigh, "We face such a dire threat from the Galra,"

The way she said that made Keith feel uncomfortable. The Galra- as in every Galra in existence. "Well sure they're bad- no doubt about that but um-" he clears his throat, "At the same time, couldn't a few of them be fighting for good?" he asks, hoping he didn't look to hopeful for her to believe him on this. He didnt' know what he was anymore, but if it turned out he was some how related to Galra…

Allura just hated them so much and if she knew what he might be, would she think differently of him? Would the entire team do the same?

"Just look at Ulaz," he says, hoping to make her understand, "He sacrificed himself to save us,"

"For all we know his sacrifice could have been a ploy. One life means nothing to Zarkon," she scoffs, refusing to even budge an inch on the topic

Keith narrows his eyes, "It means something to me," he says, raising his voice a little too much, "It means some of them are actually willing to help, and we could use all the help we could get,"

"Any help from the Galra is mearly a praylude to a trap," she concludes, looking away, "I know all too well how quickly they turn,"

"It just seems crazy to lump everyone together," he mutters

"Listen," she glares at him, making his blood run cold, "If there are any good Galra out there, they've had 10,000 years to stop Zarkon. I would never count on them for help,"

With a lump in his throat, Keith couldn't bare to say anything after that. It… hurt, to hear her say that. In some ways, he expected it, but hearing it said outloud didn't make it any better.

With nothing left to say, they floated aimlessly in space for an hour or two longer before they got a desperate call from Coran.

"Keith, Allura, are you there?!"

"We're here Coran, what is it?" Allura sat up in her chair.

"Well, Zarkon definitely isn't tracking you two," he huffs.

Keith was shocked, "He's not?"

"How do you know?" Allura asks.

"Well, while you two are out there, a Galra fleet just appeared here! We need you now!"

Startled, the two share a look of panic before Keith is slamming his hand into the booster, turning the ship around to head back to the ship.

"We'll be there in two dovashes," Allura says

Keith eyes the booster rocket Pidge had added, lifting his hand to it. Knowing the others were in danger, especially Lance, he was desperate to get there as fast as he could, "Even faster than that," he says, highlighting the booster.

"What is that?" Allura frowns

"A booster fuel Pidge added to this pod," he clicked it. To his horrible error, the back engine exploded behind him the second he clicked the button. With only a second to react and realize his mistake, the ejection seats were activated and they were shot out into space.

Feeling himself catapulted in one direction twirling in circles to fast to stop himself, he eventually even out enough to activate his jetpack and make his way towards Allura. "Allura! Grab my hand!" snagging her palm in passing, the two spun to a stop, gasping for air. "Are you okay?"

"F-Fine," she nods. Looking up to the broken remains of their vessle, she asks, "Is your radio still working?"

He tests it, calling for Coran, but nothing seemed to be working. "I can still track the ship," he clicks his teeth. He curses himself for being imaptient, like he always was. With no other option since they couldn't seem to get into contact with anyone, they shot their way back to the ship using his jetpack. It was slow, much slower than if they had just taken the normal settings on the pod.

It would take them three times as long now to get there at this right.

"I-" he groans in frustration, "This is my fault,"

"Keith no- you didn't know what would happen," Allura says to him. "We just have to focus on getting back as fast as we can now,"

"We'll never get there in time at this rate!"

Feeling the panic hit her, Allura inhales shakily. "I-" She grips his arm desperately, "Shiro was right," she whispered. She had proven that she was no at fault for Zarkon locating them, but in doing so, she had left her friends exposed. Now, she might just never see them again, "We never should have left them,"

Thinking to Lance, Keith closes his eyes. If something happened to him…

He thought back to the last thing he had said to Lance. Something about being unsure of what would happen if Zarkon found him- because Keith was so positive that Zarkon was tracking them through him.

He thought he was keeping Lance safe through this, but he may have just doomed him. He would lose all the people important to him because he couldn't just trust them and decided to do things alone.

He would never even get the chance to tell Lance how he felt about him. The last thing Lance would have to hold onto from their relationship was Keith leaving him behind… again.

"Keith!"

In his moment of despair, his eyes snapped open at Allura's call. Tensing, thinking they were in danger, he was surprised to look ahead and see a warm and familiar glowing light.

"The Red lion!" Allura cheers, "Keith, the Red lion found you!"

Not even understanding how Red managed that, Keith didn't care- he called to her, joy pumping through his veins. Quickly scrambling in, they turned and shot in the direction of Tajueer, "Good girl," Keith squeezes the controls, relieved to see her. "Let's go get out friends,"

Getting there are fast as Red's boosters could take them, they arrived just in time to cut off the large canon the Galra had aimed at the team, who was currently keeping the fallen Tajueer arc from falling into a sea of acid.

"Good to have you back, Keith!" Shiro calls.

Keith looks down to see the Lions gathered and accounted for. Everyone was okay… Thank goodness.

The next voice made him tense.

Always able to recognized Lance's voice in a hearbeat, Keith hear him ask, "Is the Princess with you?"  
"Yes," he says robotically, gulping the fear of what Lance might say next.

"Good,"

And that seemed to be all Keith would get out of Lance in a conversation at this point. No questions on if he was okay or not, or what took them so long, just- okay.

Nervously shifting his weight in his seat, Allura patted Keith's back, hoping to be encouraging.

"Hey Keith, we could use a little extra man power to get this thing up," Hunk calls to him.

"On my way, buddy," Keith shoots down, slamming into the side of the arc to help give that last little push it need to get it upright.

"Alright, no time to waste. Let's show these guys who they are messing with," Shiro smirks, "Form Voltron!"

Quickly changing into the mighty hero, they turned their attention to the Galra ship, which had aimed downward and was making a straight B-line for the ship.

"They are planning to ram the arc!" Pidge warned, horrified at the thought.

"Not if we can help it. Form sword!" Shiro commanded.

Pressing his bayard into the controls, Keith eyed the ship warilly.

"Are you sure we'll be able to cut through that entire cruiser?" Hunk demanded, nervous.

"We'll have to," Shiro concludes. Monving to attempt this impossible task, Keith could feel his controls vibrate. Sensing a voice within his head, he says, "Guys? I think my lion is trying to tell me something,"

"Me too," Lance chips in.

"Same here," Pidge and Hunk agree.

"Well whatever it is, do it," Shiro tells them.

Following how Keith placed his bayard into the controls, they were shocked when the sword morphed, growing large and longer, just enough to cut the entire battle cruiser in half. The team shared similar smirks as they charged forward, lifting the sword.

With one clean swipe, the ship was falling into two chunk before imploding on themselves.

"Did you guys see that?!" Lance cackled, thrilled at their new ability.

"That was awesome!" Hunk pumps his fist

"It's not over yet," Shiro informs them, "We still have to get the Tajueers out of here,"

"How are we going to do that when they only have one working engine?" Pidge asked. Thinking it over, Shiro had them pilot Voltorn around the sides of the Arc, lifting their hands underneath it.

One they managed to get it to start lifting, they slipped under the haul and put all power to their bottom thrusters, lifting the arc from the planet's surface and towards the planet the Tajueerians had previously planned to evacuate to.

Placing them down, getting the thanks and cheering from them, Allura left them a device to contact them should they ever need aid again.

With that said and done, they said their goodbyes and were on their way.

Running out of their lions, the team gave small cheers. "Man," Lance laughs as they entered the bridge, grinning at Coran and Allura, "That was a close one."

"Indeed. But what a show you paladins put on!" Coran claps. "I've never seen the sword grow that large before. You cut that galran ship in two!"

Slowly, the other paladins begin to filter in from their lions, smiling and congraluating each other. The mood was cheerful… till Hunk punched Keith in the face.

Having only just entered the room, he stumbled back in shock, his cheek swelling.

The teams gasps at the sight, rushing to step between the two. "Hunk!" Shiro scolds, "What's gotten into you?"

Hunk was fuming, his normally cheerful face red with rage, "I gave him a warning!" he tells Shiro, almost whining to him.

Shiro blinks rapidly, "What?"

"I told him not to hurt Lance! To treat him right- and then he went and did this!"

"H-Hunk…" Lance lowers his arms, shocked.

"It's okay, Shiro," Keith catches his arm. "I deserved it," stumbling to his feet, Keith rubs at his sore jaw, "Hunk is completely right. I left without a word and I'm… I'm so sorry," he bows his head, "I'm sorry to you Lance, and the team. I knew you would try to stop me… Or at least get worried about me. I was just so desperate to make sure it wasn't me that he was tracking,"

Allura quickly comes forward to stand besides Keith, "I owe just as much as an apology and your rage," she tells them. "I tagged along with him. Shiro was right; we are stronger together, and because of my choice we put the risk of you and all the Taujeerians in danger. I am so terribly sorry," she looks at Hunk, "You may punch me too, if you like."

"Oh uh…" he shakes his head, "N-No, I'm good."

"We thought we were doing the right thing," Keith tells them.

Everyone's eyes turn to Lance and Shiro, who were the most upset about this whole endeavure. Waiting anxiously for their response, the entire team took a step back when Lance snickered.

Tilting his head back, he began to laugh.

Allura gawked at him, "W-Why in the world are you laughing?"

"I just-" he puts a hand to his stomach, slapping his knee, "H-How awkward was it?"

"What?" they blink at him.

Cackling he says, "I-I only just realized after you two left but…. Hahah, you two have never talked! Through all the time we've spent together, I have never seen either of you two once share a conversation together! So tell me, just how awkward was it?"

Slowly tunring to look at each other, Keith and Allura pale at the hours of complete silence they had shared, "...Painfully awkward,"

Lance falls back, rolling on the floor as he laughed.

His laughter seemed to be contacious and the other paladins began to join in. Despite being mocked, Allura was grateful that everyone was alive and smiling at the end of the day. Finding herself laughing as well, she nodded her head to each paladin as they went to get undressed.

Lance grabbed her arm in passing, whispering, "You two should really talk," he shifted his eyes to Shiro. Frowning at him, but knowing he was right, she nodded.

Waiting for the others to leave, and asking for a moment alone with Shiro from Coran, she approached him, watching as he pulled out the galactic map to go over where they would travel to the next day. Clearing her throat to catch his attention she says, "I- owe you my deepest apology, Shiro,"

He doesn't say anything for a long time, nor does he turn around to look at her. Thinking for a moment perhaps he hadn't heard her, she continues, "W-What I did was wrong, and I see that now. I was just- Zarkon has taken everthing from me. I couldn't bare to lose the rest of you because of my doing,"

His fingers stop typing and he turns to her, "I know, Allura," his eyes are gentle when he says, "I understand why you did it, and in fact, I might have done the same thing. The problem was that you didn't inform anyone before you left. By the time we contact you, what if Zarkon had found you? Or some other threat, and Keith and you were in danger? We might have never known until it was too late,"

Allura bows her head, nodding.

"I-" Shiro cuts off, " We care about you, Allura. As a team, we support and protect each other, but we can't do that if we go running off without a word. I'm still mad about what happened but I'm just glad you are okay. Just, promise me next time you'll come to us and we'll try to work something out."

"I will," she assures him. Reaching out, she puts her hand on his arm, squeezing it gratefully, "Thank you,"

He clears his throat, "Of course,"

Sharing eye contact for a moment too long, the two pull away with nervous laughs. Allura starts side stepping backwards, stammering, "I'll uh- I am exhausted I'll just-" she bumbs into one of the paladin chair, "Oop! That is a chair- I hit that- just going to walk away now. Nighty night!"

Lifting his hand to try and hide his snort, Shiro waves to her. Looking at the door long after she walked out of it, he slowly turned back, feeling lighter than he had a few minutes before.

* * *

Lance wasn't surprised when he heard a knock on his door and hour after getting undressed from his paladin armor. Moving towards the door, he opens it to find exactly who he expected to be standing there.

"Um…" Keith stands awkwardly in the hall, looking smaller than usual.

Taking in the sight of him, Lance casually leaned against the doorframe and folded his arms, "Yes?" he inquired, "I was just about to start my facial care, so make it quick,"

Keith nods, looking nervous, "I just- we didn't get to talk about before,"

"What is there to say?" Lance shrugs, "You left… tale as old as time," he watches Keith visibly flinch, his eyes wide with emotion.

"I don't want it to be that way," he whispered hoarsely. "Lance I- I messed up again. I hurt you,"

Lance hates to see him look so upset- so hateful to himself. Sighing, he says, "I'm not mad, keith,"

Startled, Keith almost falls over, "You aren't?"

"No- just… I dunno." feeling awkward having this conversation at the door, he motions for Keith to come inside. Shuffling in, they both moved to sit along Lance's bed.

As he turned to Keith to continue the conversation, he doesn't expect the red paladin to hold a flower out to him. It was a strange looking thing, most likely coming from that strange indoor garden Coran had been growing in the lower floors.

Taking the flower into his head, realizing Keith was trying his best to apologize, he falls back against his back, sniffing it. "You came back," he concludes, "You didn't do that last time. So- I'm not mad,"

"Really?" Keith inquired nervously.

Lance sat up, taking his time to look Keith in the eyes, eyeing him carefully, before wrapping his arms around his shoulder. Keith melted into the embrace, his shoulders shaking.

Was he scared?

Lance wasn't sure what hurt more- realizing Keith was petrified that he wouldn't be forgiven, or that Keith looked like he didn't even believe himself that he deserved to be forgiven. "I am a little," he admits, "But, not because you did it- but because you didn't tell me,"

Keith lowers his gaze, "I wasn't sure if you would let me go…"

"I know," Lance sighs, "But- I think you learned your lesson, and you got a punishment for it," Lance trails his finger across Keith's jaw, where Hunk had punched him

He laughs dryly, "Yeah… he sure does know how to punch,"

"He's a teddy bear, but still a bear," Lance agrees.

There is a small pause, "...I left you again,"

"You came back. You were only gone for a few hours," Lance says, "I told you why I was mad. Not because you left, but you didn't tell me beforehand,"

Nodding sheepishly, Keith slowly, hesitantly lifts his arms to wrap arond Lance. Bringing the Blue paladin close, the two hug, breathing in the scent of the other.

"You shouldn't forgive me," Keith concludes.

"You don't get to decide how I feel, and I've decided to forgive you. And Allura,"

Keith pulled back to stare at him, mesmerized, "I…" he takes Lance's hands. "So, even though I made a mistake today… you still care about me?"

Lance tilts his head, "I still cared about you even after you left the Garrison," Lance tells him

Startled, Keith's eyes go wide, looking more vulnerable than Lance had ever seen them, "B-But what if I… what if I told you something that might change that?"

Lance is careful about his next word, realizing that Keith was possibly working up the courage to tell him about the blade. Keeping his expression calm, he smiles, "Nothing you could tell me would change how I feel about you, Keith."

"W-What if I hurt you again?"

"Do you plan to hurt me?"

"No! Never," Keith tightens his grip, "But I might not… I might not have a choice. I- I learned something recently. I don't know what it means for me but it involves… bad people,"

Lance held his breath, inching a little closer to Keith. "You can trust me with anything Keith," he whispers, "I know who you really are,"

"Do you?" Keith choked out, "Because I don't…"

"I do," Lance takes his face into his hands, "I do know, Keith." Unable to look at him for a long time, he slowly lifts his gaze, looking in Lance's eyes for any sign of uncertainty. When he found none, Keith took a breath.

"Do you remember that blade Ulaz had?"  
Lance nods.

"Well, I also… I mean I…" not able to find the words, Keith reaches towards the back of his belt. Taking the blade from his holster, he lifts it for Lance to see. Placing it in his hands, Keith slowly takes off the wrappings, revealing the blade of mamora symbol along the hilt. "This…" he points to it.

"The Blade of mamora," Lance confirms.

"Y-Yes…. My parents gave that to me."

"Your parents gave you a blade with the insignia of a secret Galra rebellion," Lance concludes.

Keith nods nervously, looking like he was struggling to breath, "I never got to ask them what it was, and I honestly don't remember my Mom. My dad was human but I don't even recall my Mom's face so I don't- she might be-" he trails off, looking so unsure of himself. "Do you remember back on the Balmera how the two of us were sent to close the duct so none of the Galra fighters could get out?"

"Yes,"

"You tried everything, but when I touched my hand to the panel… it worked. Only Galra should be able to work a Galran control panel. So I… I feel like I might just be…" he looks into Lance's eyes, searching for something. Shock, fear, confusion- anything that might make him reconsider this. Seeing nothing but patience and acceptance in Lance's gaze he whispers, "Galra."

"Do you think you're Galra?" Lance inquired so softly that Keith shivered.

"I don't know," he shakes his head, "T-That's… this is all. Everything that has been on my mind is because of this. That's my secret," Keith lowered his gaze and left the topic in the air, waiting and dreading for Lance's response

Seeing how tremors seemed to shake his boyfriends body, pumping his blood with fear for what Keith seemed to think was inevitable, Lance smiles.

"Keith," he lifts the red paladins' chin a little, "Can I tell you a secret of my own?"

Blinking rappidly, Keith nods, "O-Of course…"

Lance says, "Keith, you've already shown me this blade,"

The look of complete confusion is rather priceless if Lance had to be honest, and it was a nice look on Keith. "W-What?" he stammered, "No I haven't,"

"Yes you have. Back at Garrison. You took me out stargazing and showed me this, telling me it was the last thing you have ever gotten from you parents. You even showed me the symbol on it," Lance ran his fingers over it, smiling.

Blinking once, then twice, Lance could see the gears slowly turning in Keith's head. Recalling the memory, Keith's face flushed brightly with humiliation and he buried his head into Lance's shoulders, "Are you telling me you already knew this whole time?"

"Basically," Lance chuckles, patting his back.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Keith pulls back, eyes wild,

"I didn't want to tell you until you were ready to tell me," Lance pouted. Falling back against him, Keith sighs, the heavy burden lifting from his shoulders and leaving him exhausted.

"Do you have any idea how much I've worried about this? About what you might think?"

Lance runs a hand through his raven hair, "I'm sorry. I just didn't know how to bring it up,"

"No. No it's fine," Keith presses his lips to Lance's throat, "I should have told you sooner."

Patting his back, Lance muses, "You aren't alone in this, Keith. I don't know what the blade means, or what you might or might not be- but I do know one thing,"  
Keith doesn't look at him, his face buried deep into Lance's shoulder, "What's that?"

"You are the red paladin of voltron, my boyfriend, and no strange blood ties is ever going to change that,"

Like Keith had been waiting for someone to say that all his life, his body shook violently, a quiet sound of hurt slipping from his lips. Desperately reaching up to cling to Lance, he made a strange noise. Lance wasn't sure if he was crying, and he wasn't going to ask.

Instead he patted Keith's head and rolled them back onto the bed, cradling Keith close to his chest. After a while, when Keith stopped shaking, Lance peeked down at him to ask if he was alright. Tears stained his cheeks, and his eyes were closed- long eye lashes layed out over red cheeks in a peaceful slumber.

"Fell asleep, huh?" Lance mused, leaning down to plant a kiss on his forehead, "Good night, Keith,"

* * *

 **Season three comes out tomorrow and I am so excited!**

* * *

 **Madstar529:** Aww, thank you so much!

 **I love athrun:** Thank you for reviewing!

 **Azun26:** Haha, Oh my gosh, thank you so much for the review. Yes, poor Keith. he can never catch a break XD

 **Fan4lif:** Ooh, that is definitely going to be a fun chapter to right for sure :3 Can't wait for the blade of marmora trials

 **Ewink18:** Oh my gosh thank you! That means so much to me and you are so sweet! ;-;

 **Nekoyasha12:** Ooh yeah, the Allura stuff is definitely going to stay the same, for sure. She was a bitch! She was a total jerk to Keith ;-; And Lance will definitely speak his mind on the subject. And that is such a good idea! I would love to make a filler chapter of all of that :D It would be so sweet! And yes, the Shallura shall continue :3

 **Pinkdoughtnuts:** The Universe says no to confessions for the Keith! bwahahaha

 **Tengenlucy:** Oh my gosh, thank you so much. You are so sweet. ;-; I would love it if you did that! It would be so amazing! Thank you for reviewing.

 **Sunny lighter:** He might just get to that point XD Yeah


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